Abstract
PurposeOsteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) have a serious impact on people’s health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to analyze brain volume in patients with osteoporosis using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to investigate the relationship with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.Materials and methodsWe included 246 patients with osteoporosis who underwent thoracolumbar radiographs and brain MRI at our hospital. Clinical data on age, sex, bone mineral density, height, weight, osteoporosis medication, hypertension, diabetes, alcohol drinking, and smoking were collected. Intracranial cavity, brain parenchyma, and lateral ventricles volumes were measured using brain MRI with a semiautomated tool.ResultsWe founded an independent correlation between age and volume percentages of the brain parenchyma and lateral ventricles. We observed a statistically significant decrease in volume percentage of the brain parenchyma and an increase in volume percentage of the lateral ventricles with increasing age. In addition, we confirmed that patients with OVCF showed a significantly lower volume percentage of brain parenchyma than patients without OVCF.ConclusionWe observed a significant association between OVCF and volume percentage of brain parenchyma. Degeneration of the brain may lead to a high incidence of falls, and OVCF may occur more frequently in patients with osteoporosis.
Highlights
Osteoporosis is a degenerative disorder with compromised bone strength that increases the risk of fracture
We founded an independent correlation between age and volume percentages of the brain parenchyma and lateral ventricles
We confirmed that patients with Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) showed a significantly lower volume percentage of brain parenchyma than patients without OVCF
Summary
Osteoporosis is a degenerative disorder with compromised bone strength that increases the risk of fracture. Osteoporosis is often seen in the elderly population, and osteoporotic fracture leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality in old age [1,2]. Osteoporosis and related fragility fractures have a serious impact on people’s health and quality of life because they can result in chronic pain, morbidity, and mortality. 1–5% of all fractures result from falls in the elderly [4]. Several studies have attempted to correlate the cause of fall with brain degeneration. Degeneration of the frontal lobes, basal ganglia, or cerebellum as well as hydrocephalus have been proposed as possible brain lesions in groups prone to falls [7,8]
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