EXTRA-ARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS - PREDICTORS OF OSTEOPOROSIS
Abstract:
In rheumatoid arthritis the extra-articular manifestations present a marker of disease
severity and are accompanied by increased morbidity and mortality The aim of this paper is to study
the relationship between extra-articular manifestations and osteoporosis in patients with rheumatoid
arthritis. The study included 130 menopausal women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Bone
mineral density was measured at lumbar spine and femoral by means of dual X-ray
osteodensitometry. The obtained variables were analysed by bivariate analysis and logistic
regression. The mean age was 62.77±7.51 years old. The medium duration of rheumatoid arthritis
was 7.91±7.85 years, the frequency of extra-articular manifestations was 25.38%. The frequency of
osteoporosis was 44.62%. The frequency of osteoporosis is statistically significantly higher in patients
with rheumatoid arthritis who have extra-articular manifestations. The presence of extra-articular
manifestations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis should draw attention to the need to determine
bone mineral density
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