PERCENTAGE OF LOW BONE MINERAL DENSITY (BMD) AND RELATED FACTORS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Objectives: To estimate percentage of low bone mineral density (BMD) in rheumatoid arthritis patients; survey the relationship between bone mineral density and factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), menopause, disease duration, disease activity level, low factor (RF), Anti Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (anti-CCP), C-reactive Protein (CRP), 1st- hour erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), cortisol. Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 74 patients which diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at General Internal Medicine – Endocrinology Department of Hue University Hospital and Nephrology – Rheumatology Department of Hue Central Hospital from April 2020 to May 2021. Statistical analysis methods were description, compare means, bivariate correlation, univariate logistic analysis was performed. Result: In the RA patients, 31.08% had osteoporosis, 44.59% had osteopenia, and 24.33% had normal BMD. The mean of BMD at lumbar spine is 0.788±0.155 g/cm2 and at femoral neck is 0.779 ± 0.186 g/cm2. BMD had associated with sex, menopause, and significantly correlated with age, BMI, duration of disease. Conclusion: In RA patients, 63.51% had low BMD. Osteoporosis screening should be considered in clinical practice to promptly detect, treat and prevent the risk of osteoporosis fractures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Key words: bone mineral density, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis