Table 3 Bone mineral density (BMD) in all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and sex- and age-matched controls (*subanalysis of postmenopausal women only)

BMD, mg/cm ²

Total body

1.119 (0.127)

1.130 (0.137)

 Postmenopausal women*

1.056 (0.106)

1.064 (0.017)

Lumbar spine, vertebrae L1 to L4

1.134 (0.120)

1.153 (0.177)

 Postmenopausal women*

1.058 (0.221)

1.075 (0.180)

Total hip

0.959 (0.151)

0.998 (0.139)

 Postmenopausal women*

0.903 (0.126)

0.949 (0.138)

Femoral neck

0.909 (0.142)

0.958 (0.162)

 Postmenopausal women*

0.846 (0.110)

0.893 (0.128)

T-score:

Total body

0.27 (1.20)

0.35 (1.23)

 Postmenopausal women*

−0.23 (1.04)

−0.16 (1.22)

Lumbar spine, vertebrae L1 to L4

−0.45 (1.38)

−0.38 (1.41)

 Postmenopausal women*

−0.96 (1.46)

−0.97 (1.46)

Total hip

−0.42 (1.24)

−0.10 (1.09)

 Postmenopausal women*

−0.82 (1.07)

−0.43 (1.15)

Femoral neck

−0.66 (1.18)

−0.32 (1.07)

 Post-menopausal women*

−1.12 (0.92)

−0.73 (1.06)

BMD groups

Normal total body BMD

32 (28.8%)

45 (40.5%)

 Postmenopausal women*

6 (12.5%)

11 (21.2%)

Low BMD, lumbar spine

60 (54.1%)

52 (46.8%)

 Postmenopausal women*

33 (68.8%)

36 (69.2%)

Low BMD, total hip

64 (57.7%)

50 (45%)

 Postmenopausal women*

35 (72.9%)

33 (63.5%)

Low BMD, femoral neck

69 (62.2%)

58 (52.3%)

 Postmenopausal women*

38 (79.2%)

37 (73.1%)

Low BMD, at least one region

79 (71.2%)

66 (59.5%)

 Postmenopausal women*

42 (87.5%)

41 (78.8%)

Treatments for osteoporosis, n (%):

Calcium supplement and/or vitamin D

71 (64.0%)

7 (6.3%)

 Postmenopausal women*

34 (70.8%)

6 (11.5%)

Bisphosphonates

14 (12.6%)

4 (3.6%)

 Postmenopausal women*

10 (20.8%)

4 (7.7%)

Hormone replacement therapy

2 (1.8%)

3 (2.7%)

 Postmenopausal women*

2 (4.2%)

3 (5.8%)