European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ESTIMATION OF BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS IN SILÊMANI PROVINCE

*Dr. Raouf Rahim Mirza, DMR (London), M. Phil. (Leeds-England), FRCP (U.K.)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton manifested by back pain and progressive stiffness of the spine. Patients with Ankylosing spondylitis display a high prevalence of osteoporosis and run a higher risk for fragility fractures. Aims of the study: To evaluate bone mineral density in patients with Ankylosing spondylitis and to compare it with matched healthy controls, and determination of the correlation of bone mineral density values with the demographic and clinical characteristics of Ankylosing spondylitis. Patients and methods: In this study, 34 patients (19 male and 15 female) with Ankylosing spondylitis from regular attendees of the general hospital/division of Rheumatology at slêmani city from January 2015 to august 2015 were recruited to the study . 34 age and sex matched subjects were included as controls. Iumber spine and femoral necks bone mineral density were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Laboratory and clinical disease activity parameters were documented. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: Patients with Ankylosing spondylitis had a significantly lower bone mineral density at the right and left femoral neck as compared to age-matched controls (p=0.01, p=0.02 respectively).According to the World Health Organization classification, osteopenia was present in 14.7% of the Ankylosing spondylitis patients at the right femoral neck and in 23.5% at the left femoral neck. No significant lumber bone mineral density reduction were observed as compared to controls. Femoral necks bone mineral density was correlated significantly with disease duration. No correlations were found between low bone mineral density and disease activity parameters, body mass index, peripheral arthritis,age, sex or types of drugs used for management of Ankylosing spondylitis. Conclusions: Bone mineral density is significantly decreased at femoral necks of patients with Ankylosing spondylitis. There was a significant association between duration of the disease and low bone mineral density.

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