To assess the effects of intraarticular (IA) corticosteroid use on bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Levels of the bone turnover markers, serum osteocalcin (BGP) and urinary pyridinoline (PYD), were monitored in RA patients for 4 weeks following a single IA administration of xylocaine alone or in combination with triamcinolone acetonide.
Levels of the bone resorption marker, PYD, did not show any significant change, whereas BGP levels were drastically decreased 1 day after IA administration of corticosteroid, and then returned to pretreatment levels by day 14. The efficacy of IA corticosteroid treatment lasted for 4 weeks.
Our results suggest that IA administration of corticosteroid has no net effects on bone resorption and only a transient systemic effect on bone formation. IA corticosteroid administration may be better for bone metabolism than continuous use of orally administered corticosteroid.