Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal → August 2003 → Bone → Abstract #144

BONE MINERAL DENSITY(BMD) IN ARGENTINIAN CHILDREN WITH CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASES , CORRELATION WITH A PREVIOUS STUDY IN HEALTHY CHILDREN (PRELIMINARY REPORT)

R. J. Cuttica,¹ M. Carril,¹ O. Messina,² J. C. Barreira,² J. Maldonado Cocco,² E. Castell.¹

¹Rheumatology, Hospital de Pediatria Pedro de Elizalde, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; ²Rheumatology, Instituto de Diagnostico y Tratamiento, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A study performed in healthy argentinian children (Bianculli y col. Rev.Adol Latinoam 1, 209:221, 1999), showed that there are great differences in BMD between different pubertal status as well as between sex. The aim of this study was to BMD in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases and correlate with Tanner states, treatment and disease activity, comparing with the referred previous study.This is a prospective cross sectional study including patients with several rheumatic diseases according to usual criteria, age between 10 to 20 years, at least 1 year after disease onset. After informed consent was obtained, a medical examination including Tanner status, history of disease, dietary intake, bone related laboratory tests and functional ability scales, bone densitometry was obtained by LUNAR DPX-L pediatric software. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS 9.0 software defining normal values according with previous mentioned report a Z score up to 1 SD, osteopenia between -1 to -2.5 SD and osteoporosis values over -2.5 SD. Were recruited 38 patients, 8 boys and 30 girls, mean age 14.8 years old (Mn.10 - Mx.19). Mean time from disease onset was 71 months (Mn113.8 - Mx 162). Twenty four patients had JIA(64%), 6 SLE (17%) and 6 MCTD/Overlap (17%). BMD was normal in 18 patients (50%) and abnormal in 17(47,2%). There were no significant differences between diseases, patients with greater Ca intake, time from disease onset, functional ability and immunosupressive treatment. Regarding steroid treatment, there was correlation between abnormal BMD and patients that received treatment during the last 6 months (p0.05). In conclusion, there were no statistical differences in BMD between patients with known risk factors for osteopenia except in patients that received steroids during the last 6 months before densitometry.