Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with osteoporosis. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is capable of assessing bone density and composition. We found lower bone density in RA compared to controls. Age and RA duration influenced bone density. QCT may be useful to assess bone metabolism in RA.
RA is associated with generalized and periarticular osteoporosis. In addition to DXA that determines areal bone mineral density (BMD), peripheral QCT also detects volumetric BMD. QCT differentiates between total, trabecular, and cortical BMD. Here, we compared DXA and QCT in RA patients and healthy controls.
BMD of 57 female RA patients and 32 age-matched healthy female controls were assessed by DXA. QCT of the forearm ultradistal region was also performed. Densitometry data were correlated with age, disease duration, disease activity, serum CRP, and anti-CCP levels.
Total bone density (310.4 ± 79.7 versus 354.0 ± 54.1 mg/cm
Both DXA and QCT may be suitable to study bone metabolism in RA. Areal BMD determined by DXA may correlate with volumetric bone density measured by QCT. Moreover, trabecular osteoporosis may be associated by the underlying autoimmune-inflammatory disease, while cortical osteoporosis may rather be age-related.