Calcaneus bone mineral density in Japanese women with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships among bone mineral densities (BMD) in the calcaneus and leg activity of daily living (L-ADL) in rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) patients. Methods: We measured and compared calcaneus BMD using single X-ray absorptiometry and lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD using dual X-ray absorptiometry in 158 Japanese female outpatients with RA and 358 normal controls (NC). Results: Regardless of whether the women were premenopausal or postmenopausal, calcaneus and femoral neck BMDs in the RA group were significantly lower than in the NC group. Calcaneus BMD correlated with the modified health assessment questionnaire, L-ADL score, and 10-m walking time, regardless of whether the patients were premenopausal or postmenopausal ( P< 0.01). Conclusions: We conclude that calcaneus BMD reflects the L-ADL of RA patients very well and allows us to perform the same level of BMD evaluation as that with current BMD measurement methods.