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Prevalence of decreased bone mass in rheumatoid arthritis. Relation to anti-inflammatory treatment

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Summary

The bone mineral content (BMC) in both forearms (highly correlated to total body calcium) was measured by photon absorptiometry in a representative sample of rheumatoid arthritis outpatients comprising 129 patients treated with either gold salts (n=29), penicillamine (n=61), prednisone (n=24), or other anti-RA drugs (n=15). The mean BMC value was 84% of normal (p<0.001) with the lowest mean value in the group treated with prednisone (73% of normal). The patients as a group had hypocalcaemia (p<0.001), raised serum alkaline phosphatase (p<0.001), and normal urinary excretion rates of calcium and hydroxyproline. These results indicate that RA patients have disturbances in their calcium and bone metabolism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Clinical Chemistry and Rheumatism & Rehabilitation, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    O. Skibsted Als, C. Christiansen & C. Hellesen

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  1. O. Skibsted Als
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  2. C. Christiansen
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  3. C. Hellesen
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Als, O.S., Christiansen, C. & Hellesen, C. Prevalence of decreased bone mass in rheumatoid arthritis. Relation to anti-inflammatory treatment. Clin Rheumatol 3, 201–208 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02030755

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02030755

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