Quantifying bone strength deficits in young adults born extremely preterm or extremely low birthweight

This study investigated their bone structure and estimated bone strength using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-based finite element modelling (pQCT-FEM). Results using this technique have been associated with bone fragility in several clinical settings. Participants comprised 161 EP/ELBW survivors (46.0% male) and 122 contemporaneous term-born (44.3% male), normal birthweight controls born in Victoria, Australia, during 1991-92. At age 25  years, participants underwent pQCT at 4% and 66% of tibia and radius length which was analysed using pQCT-FEM. Groups were compared using linear regression and adjusted for height and weight. An interaction term between group and sex was added to assess group differences between sexes. Parameters measured included compressive stiffness (kcomp), torsional stiffness (ktorsion), and bending stiffness (kbend). EP/ELBW survivors were shorter than the controls while their weights were similar. Several unadjusted tibial pQCT-FEM parameters were lower in the EP/ELBW group. Height- and weight-adjustedktorsion at 66% tibia remained lower in EP/ELBW (mean difference (95% confidence interval) -180 (-352,-8) Nm/deg). The evidence for group differences inktorsion andkbend at 66% tibia was stronger among males than females (pinteractions<0.05). There was little evidence for group differences in adjusted radial models. Lower height- and weight-adjusted pQCT-FEM measures in EP/ELBW compared with controls suggest a clinically-relevant...
Source: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Tags: Research Article Source Type: research