Association between juvenile idiopathic arthritis and osteogenesis imperfecta: case report

Osteogenesis imperfecta and rheumatoid arthritis: connective issues

The coexistence of osteogenesis imperfecta and inflammatory arthritis has been very rarely described. Nevertheless, systemic inflammation has been found in osteogenesis imperfecta. The COL1A1 mutations may affect collagen synthesis as well as post-translational modifications, extracellular matrix interactions, and receptor-mediated signaling. Major collagen binding ligands forming the interactome, such as cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, matrix metalloproteinases, proteoglycans, and other molecules, are autoimmunity targets involved in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. Cross-talk between bone remodeling and inflammatory pathways involving osteoclasts is important in osteogenesis imperfecta and rheumatoid arthritis. In osteogenesis imperfecta, the structural abnormalities and repeated traumatism, including fractures, could activate locally the innate immunity and trigger arthritis, similar to post-traumatic arthritis. Currently, the therapy of osteogenesis imperfecta is a suboptimally met need. Understanding the complex putative pathogenic links between osteogenesis imperfecta and inflammatory arthritis could hopefully lead to new therapeutic targets. Raising awareness regarding a possible association between osteogenesis imperfecta and arthritis could help improve the quality of life in these patients.

Osteogenesis imperfecta and rheumatoid arthritis: is there a link?

We present the cases of a mother and daughter with osteogenesis imperfecta, also diagnosed later with rheumatoid arthritis. In our patients finding and treating the over-imposed arthritis improved the joint pain initially attributed to osteogenesis imperfecta. Exploring joint inflammation in this setting could help ease the disease burden.

PURPOSE

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare hereditary disease evolving with recurrent fractures upon minor trauma, blue sclerae, and hearing loss. Although inflammation was not generally considered a feature of the disease, systemic inflammation was recently reported in children with OI and in murine models of OI.

METHOD

We present the cases of a mother and a daughter with OI, without a personal or family history of autoimmune diseases, who were also diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis seropositive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies and rheumatoid factor.

RESULTS

The genetic tests identified in both patients a deletion in COL1A1 gene (c.3399del, p.Ala1134Profs*105), not previously reported, not present in population databases, creating a premature translational stop signal in the COL1A1 gene in the collagen I major ligand binding region 3. In our patients finding and treating the over-imposed arthritis improved the joint pain initially attributed to OI. Possible pathogenic links between OI and RA are discussed.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of joint inflammation in OI is unknown and may be underestimated. As musculoskeletal involvement affects the quality of life in most OI patients, exploring this relation may help ease the disease burden.