Osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

Abstract

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of autoimmune etiology, characterized primarily by involvement of the lacrimal and salivary glands. It can also affect multiple organs, causing extra-glandular manifestations and systemic inflammation. Several studies in inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis show that the perpetuated inflammatory process can trigger other diseases such as osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome. Objectives: To evaluate in patients with pSS compared to healthy subjects: bone mineral density (BMD), frequency of osteoporosis, vertebral fractures and metabolic syndrome, total body fat composition and dosage of serum adipocytokines and inflammatory cytokines. Methods: Will be selected 75 consecutive female patients with pSS (age range: 18-65 years) according to the international classification criteria (The American-European Consensus Group Criteria) regularly followed-up at the SS Clinic (Rheumatology Division, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da USP). Also will be included 75 healthy women matched for age and race. We will evaluate the main risk factors for osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome, such as glucocorticoid treatment, hypertension, fasting glucose, dyslipidemia, body mass index, abdominal and pelvic girdle. Will be also performed measurements of serum levels of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, bone metabolism markers, adipocytokines (leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, resistin, PAI-1 and ghrelin), insulin and interleukin-1 and -6 and BAFF at the Laboratory of Humoral Immunology of this Division. Patients and controls will also be undergoing bone densitometry at the Hologic-QDR Discovery device with assessment of BMD, total body fat and vertebral fractures. (AU)