Efficacy of 99Tc-MDP combined with calcium and vitamin D3 for treating secondary osteoporosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

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Objective To observe the efficacy of 99Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) combined with calcium and vitamin D3 in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and secondary osteoporosis. Methods Fifty patients (19 males, 31 females, average age: (56.21±18.32) years) with RA and secondary osteoporosis from January 2015 to December 2016 were selected as observation group. All of them were treated with 99Tc-MDP, calcium and vitamin D3. Another 39 patients with RA and secondary osteoporosis were randomly selected as control group, including 16 males and 23 females (average age: (60.37±12.56) years), and all were treated with methotrexate, calcium and vitamin D3. Curative effects before and after (3, 6, 12 months) the treatment were observed and compared. Two-sample t test was used for data analysis. Results Both of the 2 groups showed good response, and there was no statistical significance in improvement of morning stiffness, reducing joint tenderness and swelling (t values: 0.3-0.6, all P>0.05). The bone mineral density (BMD) of L2-L4 vertebral bodies and femoral neck were (0.64±0.05) and (0.59±0.06) g/cm2 6 months after treatment, and were (0.81±0.04) and (0.79±0.06) g/cm2 12 months after treatment in the observation group, which were all higher than those in the control group ((0.51±0.04), (0.50±0.05), (0.59±0.03), (0.52±0.05) g/cm2;t values: 8.3-9.9, all P<0.05). Conclusion 99Tc-MDP combined with calcium and vitamin D3 for RA and RA osteoporosis may achieve good curative effect. Key words: Arthritis, rheumatoid; Osteoporosis; Cholecalciferol; Technetium Tc 99m medronate; Treatment outcome