Objective To explore relationships among body mineral index (BMI), percentage of body fat (PBF), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) induced osteoporosis (OP). Methods Three hundred and fifty-nine patients with RA and 158 age and gender-matched normal controls were recruited. Weight, height, and PBF were measured. BMI was calculated according to weight(kg)/height(m)2. Four groups were divided according to BMI, weight loss (BMI<18.5), normal (24>BMI≥18.5), overweight (28>BMI≥24), and obesity (BMI≥28). According to PBF, obesity was defined in males (PBF>25%) or female (PBF>30%), others were defined as normal. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the proximal femur (neck, Ward, GT, Hip) and the lumbar vertebrae (L1-4) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Results Average BMI in RA was lower than that in controls (22.40±3.76 vs 23.66±3.24, t=3.813, P<0.0001). Percentage of weight loss in RA was obviously higher than that in normal (14.4% vs 5.8%, x2=10.536, P=0.015). However, average of PBF in RA was clearly higher than that in controls (32.45±10.38 vs 30.53±6.98, t=2.442, P=0.015). Incidence of OP in RA was higher than that in control (40.7%, 134/330 vs 13.9%, 22/158, x2=35.227, P<0.0001). BMD at each site in RA with weight loss was the lowest, and BMD in RA with overweight or obesity was highest (P<0.0001-0.05). BMD at Ward site in RA with normal PBF was higher than that in PBF group with obesity (t=2.224, P=0.027). It was similar among other RA groups (P>0.05). Incidence of OP at the site of Hip and L1-4 in RA with weight loss (27.8%, 20.7%) was higher than that in groups with obesity (3.7%, 1.1%, x2=22.041, P=0.001; x2=13.401, P=0.037). There was no significant difference about percentage of bone mass between groups with different PBF (P>0.05). There were positive linear correlations between BMD at each site and BMI (P<0.0001-0.01). BMD at sites of Ward, GT, and Hip was negatively correlated with PBF (P=0.015-0.04). Logistic regression analysis discovered that age (OR=1.114, P<0.0001, 95%CI:1.082~1.148), sex (OR=5.802, P<0.0001, 95%CI:2.608~12.906), and disease duration (OR=1.050, P=0.003, 95%CI:1.017-1.084) were risk factors for OP in RA, while BMI (OR=0.879, P=0.001, 95%CI:0.815-0.946) was the protective factor for the occurrence of OP in RA. Conclusion BMI and PBF change differently in RA, which represent different correlations with BMD. BMI is the protective factor for the occurrence of OP in RA. |