THE SYSTEMIC EFFECT OF INTRAARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION OF CORTICOSTEROID ON MARKERS OF BONE-FORMATION AND BONE-RESORPTION IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Objective. To assess the effects of intraarticular (LA) corticosteroid use on bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Me thods. Levels of the bone turnover markers, serum osteocalcin (BGP) an d urinary pyridinoline (PYD), were monitored in RA patients for 4 week s following a single IA administration of xylocaine alone or in combin ation with triamcinolone acetonide. Results. Levels of the bone resorp tion marker, PYD, did not show any significant change, whereas BGP lev els were drastically decreased 1 day after IA administration of cortic osteroid, and then returned to pretreatment levels by day 14. The effi cacy of IA corticosteroid treatment lasted for 4 weeks. Conclusion. Ou r results suggest that IA administration of corticosteroid has no net effects on bone resorption and only a transient systemic effect on bon e formation. IA corticosteroid administration may be better for bone m etabolism than continuous use of orally administered corticosteroid.