Prevalence of osteoporosis may not be higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis

Patients with psoriatic arthritis did not have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis and bone mineral density was not linked to disease activity, according to the results of a cohort study from researchers in Toronto.

Researchers studied 61 consecutive patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with a mean age of 56.57 years. Thirty-eight patients were male. Investigators also recruited a comparative cohort of 23 healthy women with a mean age of 53.95 years.

All patients underwent scans of spine from L1 to L4 and of the left femoral neck between March and May 2015. Disease activity measures in patients with PsA included tender and swollen joint counts, patient and physician global assessments, presence of enthesitis, Psoriasis Area Severity Index scores and nail involvement. Functional status was evaluated with the Health Assessment Questionnaire and SF-36 and inflammation was measured using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.

Spinal osteoporosis was detected in 3% of patients and femoral neck osteoporosis was discovered in 5% of patients based on the WHO definition. Spinal osteopenia was detected in 28% of patients and femoral neck osteopenia was identified in 39% of patients. Linear regression and logical regression analyses showed none of the clinical or laboratory data were associated with bone density and the prevalence of osteoporosis was not increased in patients with PsA. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Aldei A, et al. Paper #1702. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2015; San Francisco.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.