Bone Abstracts

Inflammatory stimuli can lead to bone loss by mechanisms that are not well understood. We recently showed that skin inflammation induces bone loss in mice and humans. In psoriasis, one of the prototypic IL-17A-mediated inflammatory human skin diseases, low bone formation and bone loss correlates with increased serum IL-17A levels. Similarly, in two mouse models with chronic IL-17A-mediated skin inflammation, K14-IL17Aind and JunB&...

Objectives: Low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased frequency of peripheral and vertebral fractures have been reported in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but studies on the determinants of low BMD are still very few. We are currently carrying out a multicenter, prospective study aimed to identify the characteristics of DMD boys with a higher risk of bone loss and fractures.Methods: Forty-two DMD boys (mean age 9.9±3.3 years) underw...

Introduction: Reduced bone mineral density [BMD] and increased fracture risk are common complications in all conditions characterized by severely reduced physical activity and/or requiring long-term glucocorticoid [GC] treatment, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy [DMD].Objectives: The RisBo-DMD study (EudraCT 2011-005745-12) is a 24-month prospective multicenter study, aimed at identifying DMD patients at higher risk of fractures and improving the bo...

Objective: Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopment disorder. More than 95% of RTT female have mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), whose protein product modulates gene transcription. Specific MECP2 mutations may lead phenotypic variability and different degrees of disease severity. It is known that low bone mass is a frequent complication of subjects with Rett syndrome. This study aimed to investigate if specific MECP2 mutations may affects the degree...

Background: Osteoporosis is common in subjects with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Studies in paediatric DMD identified a high frequency of fragility fractures but there are no studies in the adult population. Recent updated international standards of care (2018) for children and adults with DMD recommend the following for bone monitoring:- Lateral thoracolumbar spine x-rays to screen for vertebral fracture (1–2 yearly if on glucocorticoid; 2&#1...

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...

Objectives: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a bone disease mainly caused by collagen type I mutations and characterized by bone fragility. No definitive cure is available and the search for novel treatments is necessary. The small teleost D. rerio is particularly appealing for drug screening approaches. A zebrafish OI model (Chihuahua) carrying in heterozygosis the G574D substitution in the α1 chain of collagen type I is available. To use this model for ...

There is increasing evidence for the key role of osteocytes in the regulation of bone remodeling. One of the main products of these cells, sclerostin, inhibits bone formation and may also stimulate bone resorption. To our knowledge, there are few data in prostate cancer (PC) patients especially in patients with hypogonadism related to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The aim of this study was to compare serum levels of sclerostin in ADT-treated and untreated PC patients wit...

Context: Variations in sex hormones influence bone health in men. Aging in men is associated with a decrease in testosterone (T) levels.Aims: To examine the relationship between T levels and changes in bone health status as measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the phalanges and the os calcis and by peripheral bone mineral density (pBMD) at the phalanges in healthy elderly Spanish men.Methods and material: We examined 162 me...

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate hospitalization rate of femoral neck fractures in the elderly Italian population over ten years.Methods: We analyzed national hospitalizations records collected at central level by Ministry of Health from 2000 to 2009. Age- and sex-specific rates of fractures occurred at femoral neck in people ≥65 years old. We performed a sub-analysis over a 3-year period (2007–2009), presenting data per five-year age groups, ...