Bone Abstracts

Objectives: Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (OP) is a rare metabolic bone disease characterized by impaired osteoclast function resulting in defective bone resorption and generalized high bone mineral density (BMD). Excessive bone compromises bone marrow space, leading to marrow failure. The infantile malignant form is typically fatal within the first decade of life. The intermediate form presents later during childhood. Currently, the only potential curative therapy for OP ...

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...

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 ...

Heritability of bone mineral density (BMD) varies at skeletal sites, possibly reflecting different relative contributions of environmental and genetic influences. To quantify shared genetic influences across different sites, we estimated the genetic correlation of BMD at the upper limb (UL), lower limb (LL) and skull (S) obtained from whole body DXA scans, using bivariate genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA). The study (n=9395) combined data from the Avon Longitu...

Background: Weyers acrofacial dysostosis (WAD, OMIM 193530) is a rare autosomal dominant disease, characterized by mildly short stature, postaxial polydactyly, nail dystrophy and dental anomalies. WAD should be distinguished from Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (OMIM 225500), a similar but more severe disease, comprising chondrodysplasia, orofacial anomalies and, in a proportion of patients, cardiovascular malformations. Both diseases are caused by mutations in either EVC or EVC2<s...