Bone Abstracts

The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of 6-month-long administration with nanopartical calcium on morphological and densitometric properties of axial skeleton in pigs subjected to osteoporosis induction with dexamethasone. Male newborn piglets (N=28) were divided after birth into four equal groups (control group receiving placebo, Dex group receiving dexamethasone, NanoCa group receiving orally nanopartical calcium and NanoCa/Dex group) receiving simultaneously dexamethasone and nanopartical calcium. At the age of 6 months of life all pigs were sacrificed to obtain the second lumbar vertebra (L2) for analyses. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were evaluated with the use of dual-energy X-ray densitometry (DEXA) method and Norland XR-46 apparatus, supplied with Research Scan software (Norland, Fort Atkinson, WI, USA), immediately after record of vertebral weight and vertebral body length (VBL). Statistical analysis of data was performed using one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison post hoc Duncan test. P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Dexamethasone administration significantly decreased VBL, BMD and BMC of L2 (P<0.05). Bone weight, VBL and BMC were significantly decreased in NanoCa Group when compared to the controls (P<0.05). Nanopartical calcium administration was effective to increase BMD and BMC of L2 in pigs receiving dexamethasone simultaneously (P=0.02 and P=0.01).

In conclusion, this study has shown positive effects of nanopartical calcium administration on densitometric properties of axial skeleton in pigs long-term treated with dexamethasone. The obtained results indicate that naopartical calcium administration may be effective for prevention and treatment of steroid-induced osteoporosis.