Muscle, bone mass linked in rheumatoid arthritis

[Guest guest]

My belief is that there is a lot of similarities between PA and RA,

so I think this one is relevant.

Muscle, bone mass linked in rheumatoid arthritis

By

NEW YORK, Apr 03 (Reuters Health) - Women with rheumatoid arthritis

are

at high risk of developing the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, but

exercise could help strengthen the bones of these patients, Danish

researchers report.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immune system attacks joint

tissues,

leading to damage in many parts of the body, including bone, cartilage

and various internal organs. The disease can cause severe

disabilities,

particularly in older people, and its exact causes are still not

known.

Women with rheumatoid arthritis whose thigh muscles were strongest

also

had thigh bones that were more dense, and hence stronger, Dr. Ole

Rintek

Madsen of Bispebjerg University in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues

report in the April issue of the ls of the Rheumatic Diseases. The

findings suggest, they say, that exercise could help preserve bone

strength in these patients.

This is of particular interest, Madsen told Reuters Health, because

" patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer a twofold increased risk of

osteoporotic fractures due to low bone mass. "

Madsen's team investigated the relationship between bone mineral

density

(BMD) and associated factors in 67 women who had had rheumatoid

arthritis for an average of 15 years. Most were or had been receiving

treatment with steroid drugs called glucocorticoids, which increases

osteoporosis risk.

The strength of the women's thigh muscles, or quadriceps, was linked

to

several measures of bone strength, independent of age, disease

duration

and cumulative steroid dosage.

No relationship was seen between quadriceps strength and BMD of the

spine and forearm. After adjustment, women who had below-normal thigh

bone density were shown to have 20% lower quadriceps strength than

those

whose thigh bones were of normal density, the report indicates.

This outcome, Madsen explained, " has revealed that reduced muscle

strength is a stronger determinant of bone mass than are other

traditional markers of disease severity. The finding emphasizes the

importance of exercise programs in the prevention of bone loss and

osteoporotic fractures in rheumatoid arthritis. "

SOURCE: ls of the Rheumatic Diseases 2002;61:325-329.

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

Muscle, bone mass linked in rheumatoid arthritis

By

NEW YORK, Apr 03 (Reuters Health) - Women with rheumatoid arthritis are

at high risk of developing the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, but

exercise could help strengthen the bones of these patients, Danish

researchers report.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immune system attacks joint tissues,

leading to damage in many parts of the body, including bone, cartilage

and various internal organs. The disease can cause severe disabilities,

particularly in older people, and its exact causes are still not known.

Women with rheumatoid arthritis whose thigh muscles were strongest also

had thigh bones that were more dense, and hence stronger, Dr. Ole Rintek

Madsen of Bispebjerg University in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues

report in the April issue of the ls of the Rheumatic Diseases. The

findings suggest, they say, that exercise could help preserve bone

strength in these patients.

This is of particular interest, Madsen told Reuters Health, because

" patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer a twofold increased risk of

osteoporotic fractures due to low bone mass. "

Madsen's team investigated the relationship between bone mineral density

(BMD) and associated factors in 67 women who had had rheumatoid

arthritis for an average of 15 years. Most were or had been receiving

treatment with steroid drugs called glucocorticoids, which increases

osteoporosis risk.

The strength of the women's thigh muscles, or quadriceps, was linked to

several measures of bone strength, independent of age, disease duration

and cumulative steroid dosage.

No relationship was seen between quadriceps strength and BMD of the

spine and forearm. After adjustment, women who had below-normal thigh

bone density were shown to have 20% lower quadriceps strength than those

whose thigh bones were of normal density, the report indicates.

This outcome, Madsen explained, " has revealed that reduced muscle

strength is a stronger determinant of bone mass than are other

traditional markers of disease severity. The finding emphasizes the

importance of exercise programs in the prevention of bone loss and

osteoporotic fractures in rheumatoid arthritis. "

SOURCE: ls of the Rheumatic Diseases 2002;61:325-329.

[Guest guest]

-Thanks for the article, .

This has been a sore subject for me. I'm 5'10 " and have been very

thin all my life....that metabolism thing, you know? Finally at the

age of fifty and following menopause and a few years of predisone,

I've actually become a little over-weight. But it hasn't done

anything for muscles or bones. And now that I really need to exercise

for flexibility, strength, and bone mass it hurts to do it! OH,

well...back to the treadmill..lol

Cris in Ohio

-- In @y..., " " <Matsumura_Clan@m...> wrote:

> Muscle, bone mass linked in rheumatoid arthritis

>

> By

>

> NEW YORK, Apr 03 (Reuters Health) - Women with rheumatoid arthritis

are

> at high risk of developing the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis,

but

> exercise could help strengthen the bones of these patients, Danish

> researchers report.

>

> In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immune system attacks joint

tissues,

> leading to damage in many parts of the body, including bone,

cartilage

> and various internal organs. The disease can cause severe

disabilities,

> particularly in older people, and its exact causes are still not

known.

>

> Women with rheumatoid arthritis whose thigh muscles were strongest

also

> had thigh bones that were more dense, and hence stronger, Dr. Ole

Rintek

> Madsen of Bispebjerg University in Copenhagen, Denmark, and

colleagues

> report in the April issue of the ls of the Rheumatic Diseases.

The

> findings suggest, they say, that exercise could help preserve bone

> strength in these patients.

>

> This is of particular interest, Madsen told Reuters Health, because

> " patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer a twofold increased risk

of

> osteoporotic fractures due to low bone mass. "

>

> Madsen's team investigated the relationship between bone mineral

density

> (BMD) and associated factors in 67 women who had had rheumatoid

> arthritis for an average of 15 years. Most were or had been

receiving

> treatment with steroid drugs called glucocorticoids, which increases

> osteoporosis risk.

>

> The strength of the women's thigh muscles, or quadriceps, was

linked to

> several measures of bone strength, independent of age, disease

duration

> and cumulative steroid dosage.

>

> No relationship was seen between quadriceps strength and BMD of the

> spine and forearm. After adjustment, women who had below-normal

thigh

> bone density were shown to have 20% lower quadriceps strength than

those

> whose thigh bones were of normal density, the report indicates.

>

> This outcome, Madsen explained, " has revealed that reduced muscle

> strength is a stronger determinant of bone mass than are other

> traditional markers of disease severity. The finding emphasizes the

> importance of exercise programs in the prevention of bone loss and

> osteoporotic fractures in rheumatoid arthritis. "

>

> SOURCE: ls of the Rheumatic Diseases 2002;61:325-329.