Bone Abstracts

Osteoporosis and vertebral fractures are recognised complications of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) but the underlying causes are incompletely understood. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a decoy receptor for RANK-L and inhibits osteoclastogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that antibodies to OPG (OPG-Ab) are associated with osteoporosis and increased bone turnover in patients with autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether OPG-Abs were detectable in AS pat...

Introduction: Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by excess growth hormone (GH) production by an adenoma of the anterior pituitary gland. The skeletal complications of GH and IGF-1 excess include increased bone turnover, increased cortical bone mass and deteriorated microarchitecture of trabecular bone, associated with a high risk of vertebral fractures in the presence of a relatively normal Bone Mineral Density (BMD). There are no data on bone material properties in patients ...

We have shown that the bisphosphonate pamidronate (P) given to children <10d post-burn prevents resorptive bone loss and muscle protein breakdown. We have also shown in vitro that Ca modulates the inflammatory response by altering mononuclear cell chemokine production. We hypothesized that P affects muscle protein breakdown by altering cytokine or chemokine concentration directly or indirectly by lowering blood ionized (i) Ca. We retrospectively analysed biomarker...

Objectives: Bone development can be enhanced by exercise during growth, but not all types of exercise may be beneficial. Weight bearing and non-weight bearing sports have different effects on bone outcomes during adolescence. However, there is no longitudinal evidence comparing the effects of popular sports in the UK on bone acquisition in adolescent males.Methods: In the present study 116 adolescent males (13.1±0.1 years: 37 footballers, 37 swimmer...

Background: Severe vitamin D deficiency (VDD), is a common disorder, which has complications including rickets, hypocalcaemia, hypotonia, delayed development and cardiomyopathy. Although nutritional rickets associated craniosynostosis has been reported, there is little awareness of this or knowledge about its clinical course or severity. We present five cases of late onset craniosynostosis in association with nutritional rickets.Clinical presentation: Th...

Background: The role of untrained observers in evaluating vertebrae height and therefore detection of vertebral fracture (VF) from spinal radiographs (SXR) and dual energy-absorptiometry (DXA) images in children with concerns about osteoporosis is currently unknown.Objective: To assess intra-observer agreement of morphometric measurements of vertebra height by an untrained observer using SXR and DXA in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).<p c...

Background: Intravenous (IV) bisphosphonate (BP) is used for treatment of painful vertebral fractures (VF) in children with underlying chronic conditions. BP effect on vertebral height reshaping in this population is however poorly studied.Aims/Objectives: To evaluate the impact of IV BP on vertebral morphometry in children with VF and underlying chronic medical conditions with associated glucocorticoid (GC) therapy.Methods: Retros...

Background: Primary tumoral calcinosis is an orphan disease. The data about the incidence of this disease, as well as clinical recommendations for treatment are not presented in the literature.Presenting problem: Two patients – 11.5 years old boy and 8 years old girl with primary tumoral calcinosis had multiple foci of the subcutaneous calcification, walking impossibility, wheel-chair condition, fatigue, high fever and equinus deformity of the left ...

Geroderma osteodysplasticum (GO) is a rare autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder characterised by progeria like facies, wrinkled lax skin, joint hypermobility, congenital dislocation of hips and propensity to fragility fractures. In the past 25 years, five patients (three females and two males) diagnosed with GO were referred to our Paediatric metabolic bone service for assessment and management of secondary bone problems. All five children were born to consanguineous...

Introduction: Elevated FGF-23 serum levels are induced by hyperphosphatemia and are linked to poor skeletal mineralization and adverse outcomes including vascular calcification and mortality. Recently, it was shown that FGF-23 levels are substantially elevated in acute kidney injury (AKI), and that higher levels in AKI are associated with a greater risk of adverse outcomes.Methods: In 25 vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D <20 ng/ml) critically ill adults w...