RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH RECENT ONSET SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHMATOSUS

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

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Abstract

SLE is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease characterized by exacerbations and remissions. The most unpredictable disease course is most likely to occur during the first few years of the illness. Preliminary evidence has documented an increased frequency of low bone mineral density in women with lupus. The reasons for low BMD in lupus patients are unclear. We will investigate the hypotheses that bone loss is accelerated during the first two years of disease onset and that this loss of bone is related to lupus disease and its treatment (lupus disease activity, levels of inflammatory mediators, and/or steroid burden). This is a pilot, longitudinal study of 30 patients with lupus of less than 2 years duration. The specific aims are: 1) to measure bone mineral density (BMD) at baseline and after one year of follow up, 2) to estimate the rate of change in bone mineral density over one year, 3) to analyze the relationships of lupus disease activity, inflammatory mediators, and steroid burden measured every three months over the course of one year with BMD and change in BMD, and 4) to explore the relationships of lupus disease activity, inflammatory mediators, and steroid burden measured every three months over the course of one year with biochemical markers of bone formation and bone resorption.