Calcium Supplements for Bone Health in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Launched by CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER, CINCINNATI · Jan 18, 2000

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 24 months in which juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) patients will take either an oral calcium supplement of 1,000 mg elemental calcium per day or a matching placebo containing no calcium (Ca), plus one multivitamin per day. We hypothesize that patients receiving calcium supplementation will demonstrate at least a 10 percent greater increase in total body bone mineral density compared to those treated with placebo.

We will evaluate patients at Children's Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) every 6 months for 2 years. We will also...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • JRA Diagnosis by American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria
• • Age 6-18 years
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Taking calcium supplements or calcium- containing antacids
• • Taken systemic corticosteroids in the prior 3 months
• • Use of oral contraceptives
• • Smoker
• • Have been or currently pregnant
• • Have another chronic illness that affects growth or bone mineralization (for example, Down's Syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, steroid-dependent asthma)
• • Fasting random urinary calcium/creatinine ratio \> 0.2

Trial Officials