SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS AND OSTEOPOROSIS

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of connective tissue with multi-syndrome clinical manifestations. Skeletal damage is considered to be one of significant contributors to the quality of life of these patients. The purpose of this review was to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and associated fractures in systemic sclerosis. We performed a search in Medline database by the following key words: “systemic sclerosis”, “bone mineral density” and “osteoporosis”. From 118 publications we selected for further analysis 18 papers which contained comparisons of bone mineral density in patients with systemic sclerosis and in control groups of healthy subjects or in patients with other rheumatic disorders. These trials showed various proportions of systemic sclerosis patients with decreased bone mineral density in the range of 32 to 77%. Osteoporosis was found in 22 to 60% women with systemic sclerosis which was significantly more frequent that in healthy age-matched women (from 8 to 23%). The rates of osteoporotic fractures in patients with systemic sclerosis, according to data given by various authors, were in the range of 2 to 38%, being higher than in healthy controls (from 2 to 10%). In the majority of publications, there was an association of osteoporosis with conventional risk factors, and in some studies there was an association of osteoporosis with clinical characteristics of systemic sclerosis. The studies were performed in relatively small patient groups and their results vary widely. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of osteoporosis and improve its treatment and prevention in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Keywords

• systemic sclerosis, bone mineral density, osteoporosis, fracture