Cross-sectional evaluation of bone mass in young adults with Juvenile Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: the role of bone mass determinants in a large cohort of patients

Methods Seventy nine patients with juvenile onset SLE (64 females, 15 males, median age 21.0 years, range 14.5 to 39.0 years) treated at the Transition Clinic of Rheumatology Section from January 2008 to December 2010 were evaluated. In all subjects DXA at the lumbar spine, pQCT at radius and phalangeal osteosonography were performed at the same time. The data obtained were compared with 80 ageand sexmatched healthy subjects. All patients at evaluation were receiving Hydroxychloroquine, 50/79 low dose steroids, 35 mycophenolate mofetil, 10 azathioprine and 2/69 had received four infusions of Rituximab. Results At DXA examination, all JSLE patients showed a reduced BMD SDS (p <0.001), total trabecular density, strain strength index, muscle area, cortical bone area, fat area (p <0.001) in comparison to controls. However, we did not find any significant statistical differences regarding AD-SoS and QUS. A significant correlation was found between BMD SDS, disease activity (SLEDAI score), dose and duration of corticosteroids therapy (p <0.001).