Prednisolone 'maintains bone density in rheumatoid arthritis patients' hips'
Low-dose prednisolone for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients reduces the effect of inflammation on bone tissue in the hip, according to a new study published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy.
Scientists from Karolinska University Hospital and University Hospital, Kioskgatan in Sweden studied 150 patients, of which 67 per cent were women, with mean disease duration of six months.
The participants were divided into two groups. The first was given 7.5 mg of prednisolone daily, while the second was given none.
Samples of P1NP, an indicator of bone formation, CTX-1 and 1CTP, both of which are bone degradation markers, were gathered at baseline, three months and 12 months.
In addition, the researchers measured bone density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck at the outset of the study and again after 24 months.
Results showed that levels of P1NP decreased significantly in the group treated with prednisolone. Although CTX-1 and 1CTP levels fell in both groups, they decreased more in the prednisolone group.
Meanwhile, bone scans revealed that bone mineral density in the spine declined in both groups, but bone density of the femur only fell in the untreated group.
"Low-dose prednisolone in early RA counteracts the negative impact of rheumatoid inflammation on bone tissue in the hip," the researchers concluded.
A spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said the results were surprising, given that the main side effect of steroids such as prednisolone was thinning of the bones.
Recent related stories:
08 January 2009
07 January 2009
07 January 2009
06 January 2009
05 January 2009
05 January 2009
05 January 2009
RSS feed 