[Corticosteroid therapy and aseptic bone necrosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]

Two groups of RA patients were compared: 102 patients with osteonecrosis of the head of the femur (group 1) and 50 patients free of it (group 2). Group 1 patients had bilateral lesion of the hip joints (28% of cases), unilateral osteonecrosis of knee joint in 14.5% and bilateral in 2.9% of the patients. Unilateral humeral osteonecrosis occurred in 17.6%, bilateral in 4.9% of patients. Extra-articular manifestations of RA (lymphadenopathy, renal lesions and Cushing's syndrome) were diagnosed more frequently in group 1. Progression of osteonecrosis is related to a mean maximal day dose of prednisolone in the first month of therapy.