Osteopenia in adults with a history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. A population based study.

Abstract

Although many adults with a history of JRA have normal bone density, a substantial subset are osteopenic, placing them at increased risk of fractures later in life. This observation is particularly striking given the predominance of patients with pauciarticular JRA in this population based group. We identified several variables associated with osteopenia in this cohort. Further work is needed to identify those patients with JRA who may benefit from aggressive therapy targeted at preventing the longterm morbidity associated with osteopenia.