Bone Abstracts

Objective: The physis, or growth plate, is comprised of precisely organized chondrocytes that confer longitudinal growth of the bone. Multiple signaling pathways cooperate to regulate growth through their control of chondrocyte shape, polarity, proliferation, and differentiation.1,2 Disruption of these cellular events result in physeal defects, skeletal deformities, and abnormal limb growth. Loss of function mutations in Smad4, a common intracellular effector of all...

It is unclear as to whether western dwelling South Asian (SA) postmenopausal women have a different fracture risk to that of the native Caucasian (C) population. Moreover, the WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) has not been used previously to compare predicted risk of fractures in western dwelling South Asian women with same-age Caucasian women. This analysis used data from n=35 SA [mean (S.D.) age=59 (6) years] and n=136 C [mean (...

Background and objective: Data concerning the incidence of fractures in Italy have been displayed since year 2000 by analysing hospital discharge records (HDRs). However, the influence of seasonal and environmental factors on fracture events in the Italian population has not yet been assessed.Methods: We have analyzed HDRs for primary diagnosis of hip, vertebral, forearm, humeral and knee fractures in Italy from year 2007 to 2009. Inferential statistics ...

Objectives: Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is a very rare disorder characterized by extensive angiomatous proliferation and progressive osteolysis without new bone formation. Only ~200 patients were reported. The quality of life is very poor since patients display pain, fractures, functional impairment and swelling of the affected regions. The ethiology of GSD is unknown. We aim to investigate the bone phenotype and to identify molecular and cellular defects in GSD patients.<p...

The clinical orthopaedic problem of delayed healing or non-union after complex fractures affects 5–10% of all patients, especially within the elderly population. Recently several in vitro studies showed that CD133+ cells bare angiogenic capacities and contribute to a better outcome concerning ischemia induced angiogenesis in vivo. A local administration of these specific cells to the fracture gap appears feasible as a new treatment option for biological ...

Objective(s): We aimed to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis and risk factors for bone demineralization in the Italian population.Material and methods: 3090 consecutive subjects were screened for osteoporosis by using calcaneal quantitative ultrasounds (QUS) in 16 Italian cities (women: 2635; men: 455) during the extension of the FIRMO study carried out in 2011 on about 7000 people. Anamnestic data were collected to assess the presence of recognize...

Introduction: Liver transplant candidates have bone and mineral metabolism disorders that may influence the development of fractures after liver transplantation (LT).Objective: To analyze the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) in patient candidates for LT and the factors associated with vitamin D deficiency.Methods: Between January 2010 and May 2012, 116 liver transplant candidates (85 male and 31 female patients) were include...

Background: Stuve–Wiedemann syndrome (SWS, OMIM 601559) is a severe autosomal recessive condition characterized by bowing of the lower limbs with cortical thickening, wide metaphyses, abnormal trabecular pattern and camptodactyly. Additional features include dysautonomia symptoms with temperature instability, respiratory distress and sucking/swallowing difficulties in the first months of life.Most SWS cases do not survive beyond the first y...

Strontium ranelate is a promising drug used in the treatment of osteoporosis. This drug has a unique dual effect on bone turnover, simultaneously increasing bone formation by osteoblasts (anabolic effect) and decreasing bone resorption by osteoclasts (antiresorptive effect). The goal of this study was to evaluate: i) anabolic effects of strontium ranelate on the formation of bone-like mineralized matrix in osteoblast cell cultures and ii) changes the drug could cause on the ma...

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a benign skeletal disease caused by somatic activating mutations of Gsα leading to formation of expansile fibroosseous lesions. These may occur in isolation or in association with McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS), characterized by skin pigmentation and hyperfunctioning endocrinopathies, including growth hormone (GH) excess. FD in the craniofacial skeleton may result in significant morbidity including facial asymmetry, vision and hearing ...