Young Women Suffering from Arthritis at a Greater Risk of Broken Bones
According to a recent study, women with
rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to bone breakage when compared to those not
suffering from the disease. While it is known that rheumatoid arthritis
increases the risk of fractures among older individuals, the study shows that
the risk prevails among women below the age of 50 as well. To prevent this, it
is important for young women to take preventive measures. These include not
smoking, consuming adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium, and being
physically active.
The
study
The study led by Shreyasee Amin, an MD and
associate professor of rheumatology in Minneapolis at the Mayo Clinic, showed
that women with the condition faced double the risk of fractures compared to
women without it.
According to Joanne Jordan, MD, MPH and director
of Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, the study is very important. She opines that when young women are
diagnosed with the condition, they are pre occupied with controlling the
symptoms and fractures are often neglected. She further points out that steroids,
although an effective treatment, increase the risk of fractures.
Around 1.5 million people in America suffer from
rheumatoid arthritis. People in their 20's and some even younger are seen to
develop the condition, although it is typically associated with middle aged and
older individuals. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks
the body's own tissues and causes inflammation. This leads to pain, stiffness
and permanent joint damage.
The findings of the study were presented at the
annual gathering of the American College of Rheumatology. The medical records
of 1,171 people, who were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis between 1995 and
2007, were analyzed in the course of the study. About one-third of these were
men. Their fracture rates were then matched to a similar number of women and
men not suffering from the condition. 308 women and 110 men with arthritis were
below 50 years of age. All of them were observed for about 9 years on an
average.
The
findings
- Women suffering
from arthritis were at a 63 percent higher risk of getting a fracture than
women not suffering from the condition.
- Women above the
age of 50 with arthritis were at 43 percent higher risk of fractures than
those not suffering from the condition.
- Men suffering from
the condition were at a 40 percent greater risk of fracture than men not
suffering from it.
- Men above the age
of 50 were at 34 percent more risk of fracture than men without arthritis.
What
puts younger women with arthritis at a higher risk of getting fractures?
This could be attributed to the use of steroids
or even the condition itself. Amin states that the inflammation caused by
arthritis affects bone cells and leads to bone loss. It could also be linked to
the reduced physical activity in women with arthritis and the increased
tendency to fall. But none of these factors can be singled out. Most probably
all the factors play some contributing role.
0 comments:
Post a Comment