Hormone replacement therapy, calcium and vitamin D3 versus calcium and vitamin D3alone decreases markers of cartilage and bone metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN46523456]

Table 3 Baseline correlations between biochemical markers of bone and cartilage metabolism, bone mineral density, and radiographic joint destruction

Biochemical marker	ESR	CTX-I	ICTP	BSP	PICP	CTX-II	COMP	BMD, forearm	BMD, total hip	BMD, lumbar spine	Larsen score
ESR	-	0.111	0.280*	0.088	0.026	0.257*	0.095	-0.171	-0.195	-0.100	0.500***
CTX-I	0.111	-	0.366**	0.194	0.401***	0.129	0.099	-0.293*	-0.253*	-0.187	0.182
ICTP	0.280*	0.366**	-	-0.120	0.138	0.472***	0.201	-0.255*	-0.322**	-0.129	0.449***
BSP	0.088	0.194	-0.120	-	0.195	0.047	-0.072	0.100	0.012	0.076	-0.045
PICP	0.026	0.401***	0.138	0.195	-	0.069	0.264*	-0.281*	-0.205	-0.218	0.103
CTX-II	0.257*	0.129	0.472***	0.047	0.069	-	0.160	-0.075	-0.170	0.073	0.361**
COMP	0.095	0.099	0.201	-0.072	0.264*	0.160	-	0.099	0.187	0.281**	0.271*
Estradiol	0.015	-0.077	0.020	0.020	-0.041	0.120	0.171	0.209	0.185	0.255*	0.008

Radiographic joint destruction was assessed using the Larsen score [27]. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. BMD, bone mineral density; BSP, bone sialoprotein; COMP, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein; CTX-I, type I collagen C-telopeptide fragments; CTX-II, type II collagen C-telopeptide; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ICTP, C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen; PICP, C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen.

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