EPIDEMIOLOGY OF OSTEOPOROSIS IN WOMEN WITH LUPUS - Arthritis Foundation Project

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

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Abstract

The specific aims to be addressed in this study are: 1) To estimate the prevalence of subclinical bone disease in Caucasian and African-American women with lupus; 2) To determine the association between low bone mass and bone biochemical markers, SLE-related risk factors, and traditional osteporosis risk factors in Caucasian and African-American women with lupus; and 3) To document prospectively the rate of fracture in Caucasian and African-American women with lupus. The hypotheses to be examined in this study are: 1) There is a high prevalence of subclinical bone disease (low bone mass) and clinical bone disease (fractures) in Caucasian and African-American women with lupus; 2) Low bone mass and fractures in Caucasian and African-American women with lupus are due to an interaction between inflammation-induced alterations in bone architecture from the underlying disease and traditional risk factors (such as early menopause and avoidance of estrogen replacement therapy); and 3) Corticosteroid treatment accelerates the loss of bone in both Caucasian and African-American women with lupus.