| Abstract: Objective To explore the relationship between bone density and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, and initially explores the role of immune cells in abnormal bone metabolism in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Methods Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to detect bone mineral density in patients with SLE, and the distribution of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets of patients on the same day. Results A total of 92 female patients with SLE were enrolled. The average age and course of disease of all patients were 42.1±14.1 years and 84.4±73.0 months, respectively. 62.0 % (n=57) patients had abnormal bone metabolism, of which 44.6 % (n=41) patients had osteopenia, and 17.4 % (n=16) patients had osteoporosis, including 9.8 % (n= 9) patients with fragility fractures. The lowest value of whole body bone density was negatively correlated with age (r=–0.291, P=0.005), course of disease (r=–0.239, P=0.022), menopausal state (r= –0.288, P=0.005) and alkaline phosphatase (r= –0.221, P=0.033). Logistics analysis showed menopausal status (OR=13.0, P<0.001, 95% CI 3.43-49.5), LDL-C (OR=5.74, P=0.002, 95% CI 1.93-17.0) and peripheral blood CD4+T cells (OR =1.08, P = 0.025, 95% CI 1.01-1.16) was the predictor of abnormal bone metabolism, and age (OR=1.12, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.06-1.19) is the only predictor of osteoporosis. Conclusion SLE patients have a high incidence of abnormal bone metabolism, and the distribution of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets maybe related to its pathogenesis. |