Reference curves of bone parameters obtained by high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-PQCT) in healthy men

Abstract

Osteoporosis (OP) and its main consequence, the fracture is a worldwide public health problem. Fractures due to bone fragility typically occur in the hip, spine and wrist, although any bone can reach the skeleton. Measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) of these absorption sites per dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is currently the most acceptable method for the diagnosis. However, studies have reported that a high percentage of patients with fracture non osteoporotic BMD values. In addition, DXA does not distinguish between cortical and trabecular compartments. The high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) is a new non-invasive tool that allows in vivo assessment of volumetric bone mineral density and trabecular and cortical bone structure, besides the biomechanical parameters analyzed by finite element (FE) and can predict the risk of fractures. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to establish baseline values related to age, adjusted for height and weight in healthy men, obtained by HR-pQCT as to volumetric bone mineral density, microarchitecture, cortical porosity and bone strength estimated by FE analysis on the radio and distal tibia; and also correlate the stiffness parameter obtained by FE, with the other variables of density and structure obtained by HR-pQCT. As there is no normative data for measurements of this new pickup device of BMD and structural data of the bone, high quality in vivo, recent work was done (dissertation) to establish reference values using only healthy women, and now there is interest in supplementary data, measuring parameters in males, thus completing a reference database that will be useful in future studies and in clinical practice. They will be evaluated the distal radius and the tibia of healthy male subjects by HR-pQCT, including more than 50 individuals for each decade from 20 to 89 years old. Linear regression models are developed to predict the bulk density values of the reference curves (cortical and trabecular) bone structure, cortical porosity and parameters of finite elements, measured according to the age, adjusted for weight and height. (AU)