Bone metabolism and its regulation in patients with systemic scleroderma

Ivanova Yulia Yuryevna, Bugrova Olga Viktorovna, Nagornova Ksenia Aleksandrovna, Polishchuk Inna Sergeevna

A total of 65 patients with systemic scleroderma (SSc) and an average 5-year [3;10] course of the disease were studied to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and markers of bone metabolism (osteocalcin, b-CrossLaps) and its regulators (osteoprotegrin and soluble ligand of soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand (sRANKL) in the blood serum. The major part of the studied group included women: 20 (31%) women before menopausa and 39 (60%) women after menopausa. The average duration of the disease was 7.0 [5;18] years. The control group included 35 relatively healthy people selected by copy-pair method. Diagnostics of osteoporosis (OP) was performed with a dual energy X-ray densitometer (OsteoSyS DEXXUM T) in standard areas. The levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), markers of bone metabolism osteocalcin (OK), b-CrossLabs and its regulators osteoprotegerin (OPG) and sRANKL were measured in the blood serum by enzyme immunoassay. The obtained data were statistically processed in STATISTICA 12 software. There was a significantly high level of IL-6, decreased level of OC and elevated level of sRANKL among patients with SSc compared to healthy volunteers. The levels of b-CrossLabs and OPG in the blood serum were comparable to the control group. There were no significant differences in the studied parameters in women depending on the presence or absence of menopause. The analysis of the studied parameters considering the clinical course of SSc revealed changes in the markers of bone metabolism and its regulators showed a significant decrease in the intensity of osteogenesis, especially in patients with severe course and high activity of SSc.

Keywords:osteoporosis, systemic scleroderma, interleukin-6, osteocalcin, b-CrossLabs, osteoprotegerin, soluble ligand of soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand.