Association of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives The study aimed to explore the association of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method Skeletal muscle mass, serum 25(OH)D levels, and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed. Results The prevalence of OP, sarcopenia, and vitamin D deficiency in RA patients was significantly higher than in controls (all P < 0.001). The percentage of GC use was 56.9%, and the prevalence of GIOP was 38.1% in 480 RA patients. The prevalence of OP in RA patients without sarcopenia was lower than that in RA patients with sarcopenia ( P < 0.05). In RA patients with and without GC, the prevalence of OP in patients without sarcopenia was significantly lower than that in patients with sarcopenia ( P < 0.001 and P < 0.05). Female sex (OR = 54.737; 95% CI: 7.103–421.809; P < 0.0001), age (OR = 1.078; 95% CI: 1.048–1.110; P < 0.0001), sarcopenia, and vitamin D deficiency (OR = 2.250; 95% CI: 1.246–64.065; P = 0.007) were risk factors for GIOP in RA patients. Conclusions GIOP is associated with sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency and is widespread among Chinese patients with RA. Key points ·Percentage of using GC and the prevalence of OP were all high in Chinese patients with RA. ·GIOP was widely existed in Chinese RA patients, which was associated with sarcoprnia and vitamin D deficiency.