• Karin Sedó Sarkis, Mariana Barbieri Salvador, Marcelo Medeiros Pinheiro, Raissa Gomes Silva, Cristiano Augusto Zerbini, and Lígia Araújo Martini.
• Nutrition Department, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2009 Jul 1; 127 (4): 216222216-22.

Context And ObjectivesOsteoporosis has frequently been observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate factors associated with osteoporosis among women with rheumatoid arthritis.Design And SettingCross-sectional study, carried out in a public hospital in São Paulo.MethodsThe participants were 83 women with rheumatoid arthritis (53.7 +/- 10.0 years old). Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were divided into three groups according to BMD: group 1, normal BMD (n = 24); group 2, osteopenia (n = 38); and group 3, osteoporosis (n = 21). Tests were performed to compare differences in means and correlations, with adjustments for age, duration of disease and cumulative corticosteroid. The relationships between clinical factors, physical activity score, dietary intake, body composition and biochemical parameters were analyzed using linear regression models.ResultsMean calcium, vitamin D and omega-6 intakes were lower than the recommendations. Associations were found between BMD and age, disease duration, parathyroid hormone concentration and fat intake. The linear regression model showed that being older, with more years of disease and lower weight were negatively correlated with BMD [Total femur = 0.552 + 0.06 (weight) + 0.019 (total physical activity) - 0.05 (age) - 0.003 (disease duration); R(2) = 48.1; P < 0.001].ConclusionThe present study indicates that nutritional factors and body composition are associated with bone mass in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

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