Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in rheumatoid arthritis: comparison between axial and appendicular skeleton findings.

Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the lumbar spine, both hips and distal radius in 10 postmenopausal patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DXA values at the lumbar spine and distal radius were compatible with osteoporosis in all but 1 patient. Only 4 patients had osteoporosis of the hip, and 3 of these were over 65. Preliminary results over this small population suggest that in RA a correlation may be expected between DXA values in lumbar spine and distal radius, but not between either of these and the hip.