Study to Evaluate the Natural History of Osteoporosis in Children and Adolescents With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Condition: Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
MeSH terms: Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      This is a study to determine if people with Lupus have weak bones.

      Test which is a better method for detecting bone changes:

        -  Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

        -  Single energy quantitative computed tomography (SEQCT)

      Evaluate whether weak bones are associated with things like medications or amount of fat and
      muscle.
    

Detailed description: 
      This is a longitudinal cohort study to evaluate the natural history of osteoporosis in
      children and adolescents with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

      The specific Aims are:

        -  To compare the BMD of children and adolescents with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus to
           healthy controls utilizing Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and Single energy
           quantitative computed tomography (SEQCT). The following questions will be addressed at
           baseline:

      What is the variation of BMD seen among subjects with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus? Is the
      BMD of children with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus diminished relative to healthy controls? If
      BMD is diminished, what is the severity of the reduction?

        -  To characterize the annual change in BMD for children and adolescents with Systemic
           Lupus Erythematosus over a five year period in a longitudinal cohort study utilizing
           arial and volumetric densitometry methods of both trabecular- and cortical-rich regions
           of bone.

        -  To compare the use of DXA and SEQCT for measuring BMD in children and adolescents with
           Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

        -  To characterize the determinants of BMD and corresponding markers of bone metabolism in
           a longitudinal cohort of pediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus subjects.

        -  To bank Systemic Lupus Erythematosus subject blood and urine specimens for future
           analysis. Future analysis will focus on newly developed bone metabolism markers, as this
           is a currently evolving area.

        -  To evaluate body composition in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus utilizing whole body DXA
           and to determine the contribution of body composition abnormalities to BMD.

      Research Design and Method: This study includes a baseline cross-sectional component
      comparing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus subjects to normal healthy controls followed by a
      longitudinal follow up study of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus subjects. Systemic Lupus
      Erythematosus subjects and controls will be evaluated in a single-day visit to the University
      of California, San Francisco Pediatric Clinical Research Center for clinical assessment and
      phlebotomy followed by a radiologic evaluation at the Department of Radiology.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Children and adolescents with SLE
      
Biospecimen description: 
      Serum