Bone Abstracts

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are currently being investigated as novel biomarkers for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. The aim of the present study was to investigate the differential expression of specific circulating micro RNAs known to regulate bone metabolism and homeostasis in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with and without vertebral fractures. For the analysis, miRNAs were isolated from the serum of 24 osteoporotic patients with at least one moderate vertebr...

Estradiol (E2) signaling via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is important for the male skeleton as demonstrated by ERα inactivation in both mice and man. ERα mediates estrogenic effects by translocating to the nucleus and there affects gene transcription, but some effects can also be mediated via extra-nuclear actions of the receptor by, e.g., triggering cytoplasmic signaling cascades. ERα contains various domains and the role of activation functio...

Objectives: Prospective case-controlled study assessing whether the incidence of loosening of implants in patients undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is higher among those with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (SP) at the time of index operation.Material and methods: Caucasian female patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKA between November 2004 and March 2007 were enrolled. Exclusion criteria: endocrinopathies, rheumatoid or secondary arth...

: Osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ) is a relatively new adverse effect associated with bisphosphonate therapy, but no causal association has been established. By definition, a patient is considered to suffer from ONJ if he has current or previous treatment with a bisphosphonate, exposed bone in the maxillofacial region that has persisted for more than 8 weeks and no history of radiation therapy to the jaws. It has been proposed that ONJ could be linked with impaired topical immu...

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are currently being investigated as novel biomarkers for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. The aim of the present study was to investigate the differential expression of specific circulating micro RNAs known to regulate bone metabolism and homeostasis in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with and without vertebral fractures. For the analysis, miRNAs were isolated from the serum of 24 osteoporotic patients with at least one moderate vertebr...

Background and aims: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as currently utilised has limitations in identifying patients with osteoporosis and predicting fractures, since most low-trauma fracture (LTF) patients have osteopenia not osteoporosis based on DXA assessment. We aimed to express peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) variables of patients with low-trauma fracture as T-scores by using T-score scales obtained from healthy young women, and ...

Background: Torticollis in toddlers is most frequently a manifestation of traumatic atlantoaxial rotatory displacement or oropharyngeal inflammation, and rarely due to retropharyngeal abscesses and pyogenic cervical spondylitis. Rarely, intermittent torticollis may be caused by posterior fossa tumors. A very rare case of chronic intermittent torticollis due to upper spine Ewing sarcoma is presented.Presenting problem: A 2.2 year-old girl suffered four ep...

Objectives: Nutritional rickets results from the interaction of poor vitamin D status and limited calcium intake. Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase is a marker of impaired mineralization in many forms of rickets. We assessed the reliability of serum alkaline phosphatase in identifying nutritional rickets in calcium-deprived Nigerian children.Methods: We reanalyzed data from a case-control study of Nigerian children with active rickets (cases) and age-,...

Objectives: Nutritional rickets results from the interaction of poor vitamin D status and limited calcium intake. Vitamin D requirements are greater in children with limited intake of calcium. We sought to determine the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration that can prevent rickets in calcium-deprived Nigerian children.Methods: We reanalyzed data from a case-control study of Nigerian children with active rickets (cases) and age-, sex-, and we...

Background: Metaphyseal chondrodysplasias with cone-shaped epiphyses and cup-shaped metaphyses are very rare. We present a case with this particular skeletal phenotype, along with its differentials.Presenting Problem: Our female patient, aged 3.8 years, was the 2nd child of healthy, unrelated Greek parents, who were worried about her bilateral knee stiffness, which resulted in a limp and also in walking with her knees bent. At presentation, she was noted...