Bone Abstracts

Objectives: To describe the incidence of vertebral fractures in steroid-treated children.Methods: Fractures were assessed prospectively each year for 3 years according to the Genant semi-quantitative method. Proportions of children with incident fractures were determined annually over the study period. To examine associations with baseline clinical factors, the 3-year total number of incident fractures was analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression....

Vertebral fractures (VF) defined by morphometric analysis of spine radiographs are the most common complication of osteoporosis. Those that come to medical attention, with symptoms such as back pain and kyphosis are termed clinical vertebral fractures (CVF) and account for significant morbidity and mortality. Although much progress was made in identifying loci for bone mineral density, the genetic determinants of CVF remain unclear. Here we present the initial results from a g...

Activation of p38 MAPK by RANKL is regulated by the scaffolding protein receptor for activated C-kinase 1 (RACK1) in osteoclast precursors, whereas it is unclear whether RACK1 can also affect in mature osteoclasts. In this study, to identify that the interaction of RACK1 with c-Src is essential for osteoclast function, we generated several mutants affecting the RACK1-c-Src association. A RACK1 mutant protein (mutations of tyrosine 228 and 246 residues to phenylalanine) disrupt...

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass leading to increased bone fragility and fracture susceptibility. Little is currently known about what specific factors stimulate osteoblast differentiation from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Therefore, the aim for this project is to determine novel factors and mechanisms involved in human bone production which can be targeted to treat osteoporosis, using gene expression profiling and bioinformati...

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass leading to increased bone fragility and fracture susceptibility. Little is currently known about what specific factors stimulate osteoblast differentiation from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Therefore, the aim for this project is to determine novel factors and mechanisms involved in human bone production which can be targeted to treat osteoporosis, using gene expression profiling and bioinformati...

Objectives: Low bone mass in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been well reported, however the etiologies of the disease and this abnormal phenotype were still unknown. Leptin have profound effects on bone metabolism and skeletal growth, and was speculated to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of AIS. The objective of this study was to investigate the bone quality in AIS and its association with leptin and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R).Methods...

Introduction: Effective screening for vitamin D (Vit-D) insufficiency is desirable. Pigmentation of unexposed (constitutive) skin and exposed (facultative) skin can be measured with skin colourimetry to assess dermal capability in synthesizing Vit-D and degree of sunlight exposure respectively. This study aimed at evaluating whether skin colourimetry could be used to screen Vit-D insufficiency among adolescents.Methods: 240 healthy adolescents (mean age=...

Objectives: High resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was used to evaluate bone quality and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD). However, manufacturers only provide a standard protocol for adult but not for growing subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference on measurement between two different HR-pQCT scanning protocols in adolescence with unfused growth plate.Methods: 27 boys and 26 girls aged 13&#15...

Objective: Previous study in Hong Kong reported boy-to-girl ratio of limb fracture was 5.5:1 in the adolescent group. Chinese children have increased risk for forearm fracture during puberty. This study aimed to investigate cortical growth in healthy Chinese adolescents during pubertal growth.Methods: 214 boys and 219 girls aged between 7 and 17 years old with no bone diseases were recruited. Maturity was assessed by self-reported Tanner staging. Images ...

Objective: Grip strength is a marker of muscle mass which can optimize bone strength during puberty. While previous studies have shown AIS girls had poor bone qualities and mechanical properties when compared with non-AIS girls, the correlation between bone qualities and handgrip strength in AIS remains undefined. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between handgrip strength and bone qualities including volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), bone geometry, trabecu...