Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of sarcopenia on the disease activity and secondary osteoporosis (OP) in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
MethodsA total of 239 RA patients were selected, including 187 females and 52 males.The skeletal muscle mass of the patient's limbs and trunk was measured by the bioelectrical impedance analysis, and the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was calculated.The GE Lunar Prodigy dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) of different parts of the patients.In addition, 187 female RA patients were tested for disease-related indicators such as hand X-ray and Sharp score, and divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group.The incidence of OP, disease activity and joint function were compared between the two groups, and the influencing factors of OP in female RA patients were analyzed.
ResultsThe incidence of total OP in female RA patients was significantly higher than that in male RA patients (P < 0.01).Compared with female RA patients without sarcopenia, female RA patients with sarcopenia had a longer disease course, lower body mass index, and more severe joint structure damage (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The SMI of female RA patients was negatively correlated with disease course, age, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, X-ray stage and Sharp score (r=-0.155, -0.196, -2.040, -0.244, -0.365, P < 0.05 to P < 0.01), and significantly positively correlated with femoral neck-BMD, L1-BMD, L2-BMD, L3-BMD, L4-BMD and L1-4-BMD (r=0.422, 0.410, 0.380, 0.423, 0.434, 0.437, P < 0.01).The results of multiple regression analysis showed that SMI value was a protective factor for OP in female RA patients (P < 0.01), age was a risk factor for OP in female RA patients (P < 0.01);disease course and HAQ score were the influencing factors of DAS28 in female RA patients (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).
ConclusionsFemale RA patients are more likely to be complicated with OP.Sarcopenia is a risk factor for OP and is closely related to the joint structure damage in female RA patients.