Bone mineral density after total joint arthroplasty of lower extremities in rheumatoid arthritis patients

We studied the effects on the axial bone mass of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) for lower extremities in 48 female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Twenty-nine postmenopausal RA patients treated only with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) served as controls. They were studied for an average duration of 63 months. The reduction in the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (L2-4) was significant in both groups (p < 0.01-0.05), but it was not statistically different between the two groups. The BMD of the femoral neck decreased significantly in both groups (p < 0.01-0.05) after 2 years, but it was not statistically different between the two groups. Our data suggest that TJA slowed the rapid axial bone loss usually associated with advanced RA.