A Cross-Sectional Study of the Association between Autoantibodies and Qualitative Ultrasound Index of Bone in an Elderly Sample without Clinical Autoimmune Disease

J Immunol Res. 2018 Apr 30:2018:9407971. doi: 10.1155/2018/9407971. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Bone loss is characteristic of the ageing process and a common complication of many autoimmune diseases. Research has highlighted a potential role of autoantibodies in pathologic bone loss. The confounding effects of immunomodulatory drugs make it difficult to establish the contribution of autoantibodies amongst autoimmune disease sufferers. We attempted to examine the relationship between autoantibodies and bone mass in a population of 2812 elderly participants without clinical autoimmune disease. Serum samples were assayed for a panel of autoantibodies (anti-nuclear, extractable nuclear antigen, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic, thyroid peroxidase, tissue transglutaminase, anti-cardiolipin, rheumatoid factor, and cyclic citrullinated peptide). Bone mass was measured using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus. The relationship between each autoantibody and bone mass was determined using linear regression models. Anti-nuclear autoantibodies were the most prevalent, positive in approximately 11%, and borderline in roughly 23% of our sample. They were also the only autoantibody observed to be significantly associated with QUS index in the univariate analysis (n = 1628; r = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.40-0.00; p = 0.046). However, statistical significance was lost after adjustment for various other potential confounders. None of the other autoantibodies was associated with QUS index in either univariate or multivariate analysis. We are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study and the low prevalence of autoantibodies in our nonclinical sample.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Bone Density
  • Bone and Bones / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone and Bones / pathology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoporosis / immunology*
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Autoantibodies