Bone mineral density in systemic lupus erythematosus women one year after rituximab therapy

>> The objective of this study was to assess the effects of rituximab on bone mineral density (BMD) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 1 year after treatment. Thirty active female SLE patients treated with rituximab were compared with 43 SLE women not treated with rituximab. BMD was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) before initiating biologic therapy and after 1 year. The mean age was 38.5 � 2.1 years; median disease duration was 7 years. In the rituximab group, after 1 year of follow-up, BMD at the femoral neck (FN) decreased from 0.980 � 0.130 g/cm 2 to 0.809 � 0.139 g/cm 2 (� 17.4%; p ¼ 0.001). Similarly, BMD at the lumbar spine (LS) decreased from 1.062 � 0.137 g/cm 2 to 0.893 � 0.194 g/cm 2 (� 15.8%; p ¼ 0.001). In control subjects, BMD at the FN decreased from 0.914 � 0.193 g/cm 2 to 0.890 � 0.135 g/cm 2 (� 2.6%; p ¼ 0.001), and BMD at the LS decreased from 0.926 � 0.128 g/cm 2 to 0.867 � 0.139 g/cm 2 (� 6.2%; p ¼ 0.09). After 1 year, SLE patients had lower BMD at both the FN and LS, but the loss was greater in postmenopausal patients who had received rituximab therapy. Lupus (2013) 22, 1128–1134.