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Effect of intra-articular corticosteroid injections and inflammation on periarticular and generalised bone loss in early rheumatoid arthritis.

Author(s): Haugeberg G, Morton S, Emery P, Conaghan PG

Affiliation(s): Department of Rheumatology, Sorlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway.

Publication date & source: 2011-01, Ann Rheum Dis., 70(1):184-7. Epub 2010 Aug 30.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of intra-articular corticosteroid (IAST) injections on bone mineral density (BMD) in the hand and at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In the first 3 months of the study, 19 patients with RA received methotrexate (MTX) alone and 21 received MTX and IAST injections into clinically inflamed joints. In the following 9 months, all patients received MTX+IAST. BMD was assessed at the hand and periarticular regions at MCP joints 2-5 at baseline, 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: In the first 3 months a numerically lower percentage rate of bone loss was seen in MTX+IAST-treated patients compared with MTX-treated patients. This observation was more pronounced at the MCP periarticular regions (eg, partial proximal phalanges: digit 2, -0.45% vs -2.69%, p=0.045; digit 3, -0.34% vs -3.32%, p=0.003; digit 4, -0.39% vs -2.57%, p=0.14; digit 5, -0.59% vs -2.70%, p=0.24) than for the whole hand (-1.53% vs -2.42%, p=0.32). In the 3-12-month period, only minor non-statistically significant differences were seen between the two groups. CONCLUSION: IAST given over 3 months protects against periarticular bone loss in inflamed finger joints in RA. These data emphasise the importance of suppressing inflammation in patients with active RA to maintain bone health.

Page last updated: 2011-12-09

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