Although decreased bone mass and osteopenia are common complications of autoimmune diseases, the mechanisms that explain the bone loss are diverse. This Review discusses the multiple faces of autoimmune-induced bone loss—from the direct destruction of bone by inflammation, as observed in rheumatoid arthritis, to the less-characterized potential perturbation of metabolic pathways that systematically control bone mass in type 1 diabetes mellitus or autoimmune thyroid diseases.
- Georg Schett
- Jean-Pierre David