The following factors were found to be significantly related to lower BMD by univariate analysis: Caucasian race, older age at diagnosis, higher age at the time of the first DXA, longer disease duration, higher cumulative corticosteroid dose, lower serum levels of 25(OH)D, higher SLE Damage Index score, and postmenopausal status. In the multivariate analysis only the following factors were significant: Caucasian race, increased number of pregnancies, postmenopausal status, higher SLE Damage Index, and higher cumulative corticosteroid dose.
As the quality of life among patients with SLE not fully associated with SLE disease activity, pharmacologic treatments that are effective for SLE disease activity might not be able to improve quality of life in these patients Therefore, the benefit of nonpharmacological therapies on quality of life has been explored.
