Higher Risk Of Vertebral Fracture Research Articles

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a Significant Marker of Prevalent Vertebral Fracture in Patients with Spinal Degenerative Disease: Preoperative Risk Factors Involved in Lifestyle-Related Diseases

Objectives: It is important to recognize prevalent vertebral fractures before spinal surgery due to the possible complications related to bone fragility. Recently, it has been noted that lifestyle-related diseases are associated with vertebral fractures. In this study, we analyzed prevalent vertebral fractures among patients with spinal degenerative disease and investigated their association with lifestyle-related diseases. Methods: We included patients aged ≥60 years who underwent surgery for spinal degenerative disease between March 2019 and February 2021 at our hospital. The primary outcome measure was radiographically prevalent vertebral fractures from T10 to L5. Univariate analyses were performed for variables obtained from preoperative data related to lifestyle-related diseases between the vertebral fracture and non-fracture groups. Multiple logistic regression was performed with adjustments for variables including patient age, sex, and surgical site, and variables that were found to have a p-value of <0.2 in univariate analyses. Results: A total of 220 patients were enrolled, of which 121 had prevalent vertebral fractures. Multiple logistic analysis was conducted with patient age, sex, and surgical site, and those variables identified p < 0.2 in univariate analyses: eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 serum uric acid >7.0 mg/dL, FEV1/FVC <70%, and bone mineral density (BMD) T-score <–1.0. Patients with vertebral fractures were significantly older and had lower BMD, and lower FEV1/FVC. Conclusions: Patients with FEV1/FVC <70% characterizing COPD had a significantly higher risk of vertebral fractures, independent of sex, age, and BMD. The risk of postoperative complications related to bone fragility should be considered in patients with COPD.

Weight changes after smoking cessation affect the risk of vertebral fractures: a nationwide population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXTSmoking cessation reduces the risk of vertebral and hip fractures but usually increases body weight. Since underweight is known as a risk factor for vertebral fractures, smoking cessation is considered to have a protective effect on vertebral fractures. However, the actual effect of weight change after smoking cessation on the risk of vertebral fractures remains uncertain. PURPPOSEThis study aimed to assess the risk of vertebral fractures among individuals who reported smoking cessation with a specific focus on changes in body weight. STUDY DESIGNRetrospective cohort study based on nationwide health insurance database. PATIENT SAMPLEParticipants were from nationwide biennial health checkups between 2007 and 2009 conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Participants were followed up from 2010 to 2018 to find incidence of newly developed vertebral fractures. OUTCOME MEASURESThe incidence rate was defined as the incidence rate (IR) per 1,000 person-years (PY). Cox proportional regression analysis was used to analyze the risk of vertebral fracture to determine the hazard ratio (HR) associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures based on smoking status and weight changes. METHODSBased on their self-reported questionnaires, the participants were classified into three groups: current smokers, quitters, and nonsmokers. The quitter was defined as an individual who were smokers in 2007 and ceased smoking in 2009. Individuals with smoking cessation were categorized according to the weight change between baseline and 2 years prior: weight maintenance (−5∼5 % of weight change), weight loss (<−5 % of weight change), and weight gain (>5 % of weight change). We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to determine the hazard ratio (HR) associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures based on smoking status and temporal weight change over 2 years. RESULTSThis study evaluated 913,805 eligible participants, of whom 672,858 were classified as nonsmokers, 34,143 as quitters, and 206,804 as current smokers. Among quitters, 2,372 (6.9%) individuals had weight loss, and 7,816 (22.9%) had weight gain over 2 years. About 23,952 (70.2%) individuals maintained their weight over 2 years. The overall risk of vertebral fractures was significantly higher in quitters (adjusted HR [aHR]=1.110, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.013-1–216) than in nonsmokers, but it was lower than in current smokers (aHR=1.197, 95%CI 1.143–1.253), regardless of weight change after smoking cessation. However, individuals who experienced weight loss after smoking cessation exhibited a notably higher risk of vertebral fractures than current smokers (aHR=1.321, 95%CI 1.004–1.461). In the female population, weight gain after smoking cessation was associated with a higher risk of vertebral fractures (aHR = 1.470, 95%CI 1.002–2.587) than in current female smokers. CONCLUSIONSMaintaining weight after smoking cessation may mitigate the risk of vertebral fractures. Weight loss after smoking cessation adversely affects the protective effects of smoking cessation on vertebral fractures in the general population.

Body mass index, height, and osteoporotic fracture risk in community-dwelling Japanese people aged 40-74 years.

The association between body size and fracture risk is complex and varies by sex and ethnicity. This study aimed to examine associations of body mass index (BMI) and height with osteoporotic fracture risk in middle-aged and older people. This 10-year cohort study included 13,151 community-dwelling Japanese people aged 40-74years. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted at baseline to obtain information on demographic characteristics, body size, lifestyle, and disease history. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized as underweight (< 18.5), low-normal (18.5-21.7), high-normal (21.8-24.9), overweight (25.0-29.9), and obese (≥ 30.0). Height was categorized into quartiles. All incident cases of major osteoporotic fractures, including fractures of the distal radius, neck of the humerus, neck or trochanter of the femur, and vertebrae, were obtained from medical records during follow-up. Mean participant age was 58.8years. In men, the underweight group had a significantly higher hazard ratio (HR) for total fracture (adjusted HR = 2.46), and the obese group had significantly higher HRs for total (adjusted HR = 3.01) and vertebral (HR = 3.77) fractures relative to the reference (overweight) group. No significant associations were observed between BMI and risk of any fracture in women. Higher quartiles of height were associated with higher vertebral fracture risk (adjusted P for trend = 0.023) only in women. BMI and osteoporotic fracture risk showed a U-shaped association in men, whereas higher height was associated with higher vertebral fracture risk in women, suggesting sex-dependent differences in these associations.

SAT232 Patients With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism Have Higher Risk Of Vertebral Fracture And Lower Risk Of Femoral Fracture Compared To Controls

Abstract Disclosure: S. Bjornsdottir: None. W. Kamal: None. B.L. Langdahl: None. T. Spelman: None. B.L. Clarke: None. O. Kampe: None. Context: Previous studies have shown that patients with hypoparathyroidism (hypoPT) have reduced bone remodeling, with consequent increases in bone density, and abnormalities in microarchitecture and bone strength. It is still not clear whether there is an increased risk of fractures in patients with hypoPT. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of fractures in patients with hypoPT in Sweden. Patients: The Swedish National Patient Register, the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Total Population Register were used to identify 1982 patients with chronic hypoPT (duration ≥ 12 months), and 19820 controls matched by age, sex and county of residency between 1997-2018. The 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) was used to identify fractures. Results: Patients with hypoPT did not have higher risk of any fracture compared to controls (HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.86-1.08). However, patients with hypoPT had a slightly higher risk of vertebral fractures (HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.01-1.75), p= 0.047 and a lower risk of femoral fractures (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.45-0.82), p= 0.001. There was no significant difference in the risk of fractures of the forearm, p= 0.177, proximal humerus, p= 0.096 or pelvis, p= 0.446. There was no difference in the risk of any fracture between females and males with hypoPT (p for interaction= 0.511). Patients with surgical hypoPT had a significantly higher risk of any fracture compared with patients with non-surgical hypoPT (p for interaction= 0.006). Conclusion: The risk of any fracture was not increased in patients with hypoPT. However, the risk of vertebral fracture was increased, and the risk of femoral fracture was lower than for matched controls. No difference was found in fracture risk between females and males. Patients with surgical hypoPT had a higher fracture risk compared to patients with non-surgical hypoPT. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

Association of radiotherapy with thoracic vertebral fractures in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

To investigate the association between radiotherapy (RT) and thoracic vertebral fractures in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and explore the risk factors of thoracic vertebral fracture in ESCC who underwent RT. This retrospective cohort study including 602 consecutive ESCC patients examined the association between RT and thoracic vertebral fractures using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models and relevant risk factors of thoracic vertebral fractures based on clinical and RT parameters in patients with ESCC. Followed for a median follow-up of 24 months, 54 patients had thoracic vertebral fractures. The multivariable analysis revealed RT as an independent risk factor after adjusting for clinical risk factors. Univariable analyses associated a 5-Gy increase in vertebral dose to single vertebrae and a 1-time increase in RT fraction with higher risk of vertebral fracture. Adding RT factors (vertebral dose and fraction) and mean vertebral hounsfield unit to the Cox models containing conventional clinical risk factors significantly improved the χ2 value for predicting vertebral fractures (all P < .001). This study revealed RT, as well as increased vertebral dose and RT fractions, as a significant, consistent, and strong vertebral fracture predictor in ESCC. Combined vertebral dose, RT fractions, and vertebral hounsfield unit provided optimal risk stratification for ESCC patients.

Influence of Simulated State of Disc Degeneration and Axial Stiffness of Coupler in a Hybrid Performance Stabilisation System on the Biomechanics of a Spine Segment Model.

Spinal fusion surgery leads to the restriction of mobility in the vertebral segments postoperatively, thereby causing stress to rise at the adjacent levels, resulting in early degeneration and a high risk of adjacent vertebral fractures. Thus, to address this issue, non-fusion surgery applies some pedicle screw-based dynamic stabilisation systems to provide stability and micromotion, thereby reducing stress in the fusion segments. Among these systems, the hybrid performance stabilisation system (HPSS) combines a rigid rod, transfer screw, and coupler design to offer a semi-rigid fixation method that preserves some mobility near the fusion site and reduces the adjacent segment compensatory effects. However, further research and confirmation are needed regarding the biomechanical effects of the dynamic coupler stiffness of the HPSS on the intrinsic degenerated adjacent segment. Therefore, this study utilised the finite element method to investigate the impact of the coupler stiffness of the HPSS on the mobility of the lumbar vertebral segments and the stress distribution in the intervertebral discs under flexion, extension, and lateral bending, as well as the clinical applicability of the HPSS on the discs with intrinsic moderate and severe degeneration at the adjacent level. The analytical results indicated that, regardless of the degree of disc degeneration, the use of a dynamic coupler stiffness of 57 N/mm in the HPSS may reduce the stress concentrations at the adjacent levels. However, for severely degenerated discs, the postoperative stress on the adjacent segments with the HPSS was still higher compared with that of the discs with moderate degeneration. We conclude that, when the discs had moderate degeneration, increasing the coupler stiffness led to a decrease in disc mobility. In the case of severe disc degeneration, the effect on disc mobility by coupler stiffness was less pronounced. Increasing the coupler stiffness ked to higher stress on intervertebral discs with moderate degeneration, while its effect on stress was less pronounced for discs with severe degeneration. It is recommended that patients with severe degeneration who undergo spinal dynamic stabilisation should remain mindful of the risk of accelerated adjacent segment degeneration.

Comparison of thoracolumbar versus non-thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in risk factors, vertebral compression degree and pre-hospital back pain

BackgroundThoracolumbar spine is at high risk of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). This study aimed to identify the differences in risk factors, vertebral compression degree and back pain characteristics of thoracolumbar OVCF (TL-OVCF) and non-thoracolumbar OVCF (nTL-OVCF).MethodsOVCF patients hospitalized in a spine center between June 2016 and October 2020 were retrospectively studied. Demographics, comorbidity, spine trauma, bone mineral density, duration of pre-hospital back pain, extent of vertebral marrow edema, and degree of vertebral compression of patients with nTL-OVCF were summarized and compared to those with TL-OVCF.ResultsA total of 944 patients with acute single-segment OVCF were included. There were 708 (75.0%) TL-OVCF located in T11-L2 and 236 (25.0%) nTL-OVCF in lower lumbar (L3-L5) and middle thoracic (T5-T10) spine. The female-male ratio was 4.1 in nTL-OVCF and differed not significantly from TL-OVCF. The middle thoracic OVCF were older and had higher comorbidity of coronary heart disease (21.3%) and cerebral infarction (36.3%) than TL-OVCF (12.1% and 20.6%). In nTL-OVCF the ratio of apparent spine trauma (44.9%) and pre-hospital back pain ≤ 1 week (47.5%) was lower than in TL-OVCF (66.9% and 62.6%). The T-score value of lumbar spine was − 2.99 ± 1.11, − 3.24 ± 1.14, − 3.05 ± 1.40 in < 70, 70–80, > 80 years old TL-OVCF and differed not significantly from nTL-OVCF. The lower lumbar OVCF had more cranial type of vertebral marrow edema (21.8%) and fewer concurrent lumbodorsal fasciitis (30.8%) than TL-OVCF (16.8% and 43.4%). In TL-OVCF the anterior–posterior vertebral height ratio was lower with back pain for > 4 weeks than for ≤ 1, 1–2, and 2–4 weeks. In nTL-OVCF the degree of vertebral compression differed not significantly with pre-hospital back pain for ≤ 1, 1–2, 2–4, and > 4 weeks.ConclusionsThoracolumbar spine has 2-folds higher risk of OVCF than non-thoracolumbar spine. Non-thoracolumbar OVCF are not associated with female gender, apparent spine trauma or poor bone mineral density, but tend to maintain the degree of vertebral compression and cause longer duration of pre-hospital back pain.

Abstract #1403811: Rapidly Progressive Aortic Stenosis After Teriparatide Initiation: A Rare Case

Recombinant Parathyroid Hormone (rPTH) or Teriparatide is frequently used to manage severe osteoporosis due to its anabolic mode of action particularly in patients who are at a high risk of vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. Aortic valve stenosis is a common valve condition seen in the older population. There are multiple etiologies for aortic stenosis, but drug induced aortic stenosis is rare. Moreover, its natural history includes gradual progression towards severity. We present an interesting case of rapidly progressive aortic stenosis after teriparatide initiation. An 84-year-old female with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation presented to the endocrine clinic for management of osteoporosis. She was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2000 at age 62. Initial etiology was assumed to be post-menopausal and was treated with oral bisphosphonates. As she had compression fractures of her spine while on treatment, secondary causes of osteoporosis were explored, and she was found to have primary hyperparathyroidism. Her labs were significant for PTH-84 pg/ml, Ca-10.8 mg/dl. She underwent parathyroidectomy in 2016 with normalization of PTH and calcium. After her surgery, she was treated with denosumab infusions every 6 months. She did well till June 2021. Her bone mineral density scores were stable throughout this period. At this point, she suffered bilateral atypical femoral fractures and was thought to be due to chronic anti-resorptive therapy. We stopped denosumab and transitioned her to teriparatide daily injections. She did well for 1 year but then presented to us for management in Aug 2022 prior to valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis. Her labs were significant for normal calcium, 25-hydroxy vitamin D and phosphorus levels. On reviewing her echocardiograms prior to and after initiation of teriparatide we found a rapid progression of her aortic stenosis from moderate to severe, based on mean gradients and peak velocities, over a span of 7 months. Natural progression of aortic stenosis from mild to severe happens over several years (mean duration-5 years), not just a few months. One possible explanation for this rapid progression seen in our patient is due to the presence of osteoblast like cells (arising from vascular endothelial cell precursor cells) in the aortic valve which appear to be stimulated by PTH and hence valve calcification/stenosis. On a thorough review of literature there were no clinical studies that have reported aortic stenosis progression from teriparatide use. To our knowledge, there was a single case report that reported the same phenomenon in Israel. As a result, we wanted to educate the community about the possible association between teriparatide use and worsening aortic stenosis in certain cases. Performing serial echocardiograms in high-risk patients and involving cardiology for early diagnosis and management is essential.

Association Between Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Vertebral Fracture.

Suppression of TSH levels associated with levothyroxine treatment is a known risk factor for fracture. However, it is unclear whether patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have a higher risk of vertebral fracture (VF) before TSH suppression. The aim of the study was to examine whether the risk of VF is higher in PTC than in healthy subjects. A hospital-based, matched case-control study was conducted comparing PTC and healthy individuals. We enrolled 43 postoperative patients with PTC scheduled for radioiodine therapy and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum and urinary biological parameters, bone mineral density (BMD), and presence of VFs were evaluated in both groups. We compared these indices using χ2 and Mann-Whitney U-test and analyzed the association between PTC and VF by logistic regression analysis. The PTC group had higher BMI, HbA1c and phosphorus, and lower intact PTH than the control group. Lumbar and femoral neck BMD did not differ between the two groups. Prevalence of VFs was significantly higher in the PTC group (44.1%) than in the control group (16.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and BMI identified PTC as being associated with the presence of VFs (odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval: 1.82 to 17.5). This relationship remained significant after additional adjustment for HbA1c and BMD. There is an association between PTC and a risk of VF independent of sex, BMI, glucose metabolism, and BMD, suggesting the importance of fracture risk assessment before TSH suppression.

Underweight as a risk factor for vertebral fractures in the South Korean population

BACKGROUND CONTEXTBeing underweight is a known risk factor for osteoporosis and sarcopenia that is strongly associated with vertebral fractures, particularly in the elderly. Being underweight can accelerate bone loss, contribute to impaired coordination, and increase fall risk in the elderly and the general population. PURPOSEThis study aimed to identify the degree of underweight as a risk factor for vertebral fractures in the South Korean population. STUDY DESIGNRetrospective cohort study based on national health insurance database. PATIENT SAMPLEParticipants were included from nationwide regular health check-ups conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service in 2009. Participants were followed up from 2010 to 2018 to identify the incidence of newly developed fractures. OUTCOME MEASURESThe incidence rate (IR) was defined as the incident per 1,000 person-years (PY). Vertebral fracture development risk was analyzed using Cox proportional regression analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed based on several factors, including age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and household income. METHODSBased on body mass index, the study population was categorized into normal weight (18.50–22.99 kg/m2), mild underweight (17.50–18.49 kg/m2), moderate underweight (16.50–17.49 kg/m2), and severe underweight (<16.50 kg/m2) groups. Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to calculate the hazard ratios for vertebral fractures based on the degree of underweight with respect to normal weight to identify the associated risk. RESULTSThis study evaluated 962,533 eligible participants, of whom 907,484 were classified as normal weight, 36,283 as mild underweight, 13,071 as moderate underweight, and 5,695 as severe underweight. The adjusted hazard ratio of vertebral fractures increased as the degree of underweight increased. Severe underweight was associated with a higher likelihood of vertebral fracture. The adjusted hazard ratio was 1.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.17) in the mild underweight group, 1.15 (1.06–1.25) in the moderate underweight group, and 1.26 (1.14–1.40) in the severe underweight group when compared with the normal weight group. CONCLUSIONSUnderweight is a risk factor for vertebral fractures in the general population. Furthermore, severe underweight was associated with a higher risk of vertebral fractures, even after adjustment for other factors. Clinicians could provide real-world evidence that being underweight carries the risk of vertebral fractures.

Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Is Increased in Postmenopausal Women With Postsurgical Hypoparathyroidism.

Suppression of bone turnover, greater trabecular volume, and normal-high normal all-site bone mineral density (BMD) are hallmarks of postsurgical hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT). Impairment in the trabecular microarchitecture with possible higher risk of vertebral fractures (VF) in women with postmenopausal HypoPT has also been described. Currently, no data on bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) are available in HypoPT. To assess BMAT by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in postmenopausal women with chronic postsurgical HypoPT. This cross-sectional pilot study, conducted at an ambulatory referral center, included 29 postmenopausal women (mean age 66 ± 8.4 years) with postsurgical HypoPT and 31 healthy postmenopausal women (mean age 63 ± 8.5). Lumbar spine MRI was performed and BMAT was measured by applying PRESS sequences on the L3 body. Lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip BMD were measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA); site-matched spine trabecular bone score (TBS) was calculated by TBS iNsight (Medimaps, Switzerland); VF assessment was performed with lateral thoracic and lumbar spine DXA. Fat content (FC) and saturation level (SL%) were higher (P <.0001 and P <.001), while water content (W) was lower in HypoPT compared to controls (P <.0001). FC significantly correlated with years since menopause and body weight (P <.05) in HypoPT, while TBS negatively correlated with FC and SL% (P <.05) and positively with residual lipids (RL) and W (P <.05). We demonstrate for the first time that BMAT is increased in postmenopausal women with postsurgical hypoparathyroidism and negatively associated with trabecular microarchitecture.

Trabecular bone score, bone marrow fat and vertebral fractures in cushing syndrome.

Prediction of fragility fractures in Cushing syndrome (CS) is a challenge since dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) does not capture all the alterations in bone microstructure induced by glucocorticoid excess. In this study we investigated the relationship between trabecular bone score (TBS), bone marrow fat (BMF) and vertebral fractures (VFs) in endogenous CS. Cross-sectional. Thirty subjects (7 M and 23 F, mean age 44.8 ± 13.4 yrs, range: 25-71) with active hypercortisolism were evaluated for VFs by quantitative morphometry, BMD and TBS by lumbar spine DXA and BMF by single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy of vertebral body of L3. Subjects with VFs (17 cases; 56.7%) had higher BMF (P = 0.014) and lower BMD T-score (P = 0.012) and TBS (P = 0.004) as compared to those without VFs. Prevalence of VFs resulted to be significantly higher in individuals with impaired TBS as compared to those with normal TBS (77.8% vs. 25.0%; P = 0.008). Among patients with VFs, only 6 (35.3%) had either osteoporosis or "low BMD for age". In logistic regression analysis, impaired TBS maintained the significant association with VFs [odds ratio (OR) 6.60, 95% C.I. 1.07-40.61; P = 0.042] independently of BMF (OR 1.03, 95% C.I. 0.99-1.08; P = 0.152). TBS might be more accurate than BMF in identifying subjects with active CS and skeletal fragility at risk of VFs. Excess in glucocorticoids is associated with alterations in bone remodeling and metabolism, leading to fragility fractures regardless of bone mineral density, making more challenging for the clinician the identification of high-risk population and the definition of preventing strategies. In this context, instrumental parameters suggestive of bone quality alterations and predictive of increased fracture risk are needed. In this study, we found CS patients to have bone quality alterations as indicated by the decreased trabecular bone score and increased bone marrow fat, as measured by DEXA and MRI respectively. Both parameters were associated with high risk of VFs, and were inversely correlated, although TBS seems to be more accurate than BMF in fractures prediction in this clinical setting.

Looking at the spine in controlled Acromegaly.

Skeletal fragility with high risk of vertebral fractures (VFs) is an emerging complication of growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion. VFs often coexist with spine arthropathy and both clinical conditions negatively impact on quality of life of acromegalic subjects. Management of spine osteopathy and arthropathy in acromegaly could be challenging since both complications can persist or even progress after biochemical control of disease. This article analyzes the latest evidence about possible pathophysiological links between VFs and spine arthropathy in active and controlled acromegaly, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects concerning the holistic management of acromegalic osteo-arthropathy.

Challenges of prehospital silver trauma patients

Silver trauma patients, defined as those aged &gt;65 years who have traumatic injuries, are a complex group because physiology alters with age leading to difficulties with assessment. This is exacerbated within the prehospital setting as environmental factors and ambulance delays increase the risk of complications. This article focuses on the pathophysiology and application of clinical guidelines on three aspects of prehospital silver trauma: neurology, osteology and haemorrhage. Neurologically, silver trauma patients have a higher risk of traumatic brain injury and are harder to assess because of age-related cognitive decline. Regarding osteology, older people, particularly postmenopausal women, are at a higher risk of vertebral fracture, with many going undiagnosed. Haemorrhage is also influenced, as geriatric patients typically experience occult bleeding or rebleeding several days after an event when crews have left. Despite these risks, prehospital guidelines often offer little support for clinicians in making holistic, clinically sound decisions for their patients.

Increased risks of vertebral fracture and reoperation in primary spinal fusion patients who test positive for osteoporosis by Biomechanical Computed Tomography analysis

Background ContextWhile osteoporosis is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in spinal fusion patients, diagnosing osteoporosis reliably in this population has been challenging due to degenerative changes and spinal deformities. Addressing that challenge, biomechanical computed tomography analysis (BCT) is a CT-based diagnostic test for osteoporosis that measures both bone mineral density and bone strength (using finite element analysis) at the spine; CT scans taken for spinal evaluation or previous care can be repurposed for the analysis. PurposeAssess the effectiveness of BCT for preoperatively identifying spinal fusion patients with osteoporosis who are at high risk of reoperation or vertebral fracture. Study DesignObservational cohort study in a multi-center integrated managed care system using existing data from patient medical records and imaging archives. Patient SampleWe studied a randomly sampled subset of all adult patients who had any type of primary thoracic (T4 or below) or lumbar fusion between 2005 and 2018. For inclusion, patients with accessible study data needed a preop CT scan without intravenous contrast that contained images (before any instrumentation) of the upper instrumented vertebral level. Outcome MeasuresReoperation for any reason (primary outcome) or a newly documented vertebral fracture (secondary outcome) occurring up to 5 years after the primary surgery. MethodsAll study data were extracted using available coded information and CT scans from the medical records. BCT was performed at a centralized lab blinded to the clinical outcomes; patients could test positive for osteoporosis based on either low values of bone strength (vertebral strength ≤ 4,500 N women or 6,500 N men) and/or bone mineral density (vertebral trabecular bone mineral density ≤ 80 mg/cm3 both sexes). Cox proportional hazard ratios were adjusted by age, presence of obesity, and whether the fusion was long (four or more levels fused) or short (3 or fewer levels fused); Kaplan-Meier survival was compared by the log rank test. This project was funded by NIH (R44AR064613) and all physician co-authors and author 1 received salary support from their respective departments. Author 6 is employed by, and author 1 has equity in and consults for, the company that provides the BCT test; the other authors declare no conflicts of interest. ResultsFor the 469 patients analyzed (298 women, 171 men), median follow-up time was 44.4 months, 11.1% had a reoperation (median time 14.5 months), and 7.7% had a vertebral fracture (median time 2.0 months). Overall, 25.8% of patients tested positive for osteoporosis and no patients under age 50 tested positive. Compared to patients without osteoporosis, those testing positive were at almost five-fold higher risk for vertebral fracture (adjusted hazard ratio 4.7, 95% confidence interval = 2.2–9.7; p<.0001 Kaplan-Meier survival). Of those positive-testing patients, those who tested positive concurrently for low values of both bone strength and bone mineral density (12.6% of patients overall) were at almost four-fold higher risk for reoperation (3.7, 1.9–7.2; Kaplan-Meier survival p<.0001); the remaining positive-testing patients (those who tested positive for low values of either bone strength or bone mineral density but not both) were not at significantly higher risk for reoperation (1.6, 0.7–3.7) but were for vertebral fracture (4.3, 1.9–10.2). For both clinical outcomes, risk remained high for patients who underwent short or long fusion. ConclusionIn a real-world clinical setting, BCT was effective in identifying primary spinal fusion patients aged 50 or older with osteoporosis who were at elevated risks of reoperation and vertebral fracture.

Determinants of skeletal fragility in acromegaly: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vertebral fractures (VFs) are a potential complication in acromegaly. However, the etiology of this skeletal fragility is unknown. This review aimed to evaluate the effect of acromegaly on VFs, bone turnover, areal bone mineral density (aBMD), and bone quality/microarchitecture. The effect of disease activity and gonadal status in these determinants of skeletal fragility was also evaluated. Articles published in English until September 6, 2020 on PubMed and Embase that reported at least one determinant of skeletal fragility in acromegalic patients, were included. Odds ratio (OR) to evaluate the risk of VFs and the standardized mean difference (SMD) to evaluate bone turnover, aBMD and bone quality/microarchitecture were calculated. Fifty-eight studies met eligibility criteria, assembling a total of 2412 acromegalic patients. Of these, 49 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Acromegalic patients, when compared to non-acromegalic patients, had higher risk of VFs [OR 7.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.80-17.52; p < 0.0001], higher bone formation (SMD 1.14; 95% CI 0.69-1.59; p < 0.00001), higher bone resorption (SMD 0.60; 95% CI 0.09-1.10; p = 0.02) and higher aBMD at the femoral neck (SMD 0.36; 95% CI 0.15-0.57; p = 0.0009). No significant differences were found regarding aBMD at lumbar spine. Considering the results of the different techniques evaluating bone quality/microarchitecture, the main reported alterations were a decrease in trabecular bone thickness and density, and an increase in trabecular separation. The presence of active disease and/or hypogonadism were associated with worst results. Patients with acromegaly are at increased risk of VFs, mainly because of deterioration in bone microarchitecture.

Pre-emptive or reactive? PROMPT spinal screening in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Approximately 1–15% of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer eventually develop spinal cord compression (SCC) during their disease. 1 Tazi H Manunta A Rodriguez A Patard JJ Lobel B Guillé F Spinal cord compression in metastatic prostate cancer. Eur Urol. 2003; 44: 527-532 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (39) Google Scholar , 2 Sutcliffe P Connock M Shyangdan D Court R Kandala NB Clarke A A systematic review of evidence on malignant spinal metastases: natural history and technologies for identifying patients at high risk of vertebral fracture and spinal cord compression. Health Technol Assess. 2013; 17: 1-274 Crossref Scopus (85) Google Scholar Guidelines recommend urgent investigation in case of clinical suspicion to diagnose and treat SCC with surgical decompression or radiotherapy, or both. 3 Vellayappan BA Kumar N Chang EL Sahgal A Sloan AE Lo SS Novel multidisciplinary approaches in the management of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression. Future Oncol. 2018; 14: 1665-1668 Crossref PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar However, a third of patients with asymptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer have radiological signs of SCC by MRI, 4 Venkitaraman R Sohaib SA Barbachano Y et al. Detection of occult spinal cord compression with magnetic resonance imaging of the spine. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2007; 19: 528-531 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (33) Google Scholar which raises the question of whether screening followed by treatment of asymptomatic SCC might prevent the development of clinical symptoms of pain and debilitating neurological deficits. Observation versus screening spinal MRI and pre-emptive treatment for spinal cord compression in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer and spinal metastases in the UK (PROMPTS): an open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trialDespite the substantial incidence of rSCC detected in the intervention group, the rate of cSCC in both groups was low at a median of 22 months of follow-up. Routine use of screening MRI and pre-emptive treatment to prevent cSCC is not warranted in patients with asymptomatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with spinal metastasis. Full-Text PDF Open Access

A clinical tool to identify older women with back pain at high risk of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (Vfrac): a population-based cohort study with exploratory economic evaluation.

osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) identify people at high risk of future fractures, but despite this, less than a third come to clinical attention. The objective of this study was to develop a clinical tool to aid health care professionals decide which older women with back pain should have a spinal radiograph. a population-based cohort of 1,635 women aged 65+ years with self-reported back pain in the previous 4 months were recruited from primary care. Exposure data were collected through self-completion questionnaires and physical examination, including descriptions of back pain and traditional risk factors for osteoporosis. Outcome was the presence/absence of OVFs on spinal radiographs. Logistic regression models identified independent predictors of OVFs, with the area under the (receiver operating) curve calculated for the final model, and a cut-point was identified. mean age was 73.9years and 209 (12.8%) had OVFs. The final Vfrac model comprised 15 predictors of OVF, with an AUC of 0.802 (95% CI: 0.764-0.840). Sensitivity was 72.4% and specificity was 72.9%. Vfrac identified 93% of those with more than one OVF and two-thirds of those with one OVF. Performance was enhanced by inclusion of self-reported back pain descriptors, removal of which reduced AUC to 0.742 (95% CI: 0.696-0.788) and sensitivity to 66.5%. Health economic modelling to support a future trial was favourable. the Vfrac clinical tool appears to be valid and is improved by the addition of self-reported back pain symptoms. The tool now requires testing to establish real-world clinical and cost-effectiveness.

Performance of HR-pQCT, DXA, and FRAX in the discrimination of asymptomatic vertebral fracture in postmenopausal Chinese women

SummaryVolumetric bone density (vBMD) and trabecular microarchitecture measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) can discriminate the patients with high risk of asymptomatic vertebral fracture (VF) in postmenopausal Chinese women. These findings suggested that HR-pQCT could provide additional information on bone quality of the patients with asymptomatic VF.IntroductionAlthough there were several studies using HR-pQCT to investigate asymptomatic VF, it remains uncertain if HR-pQCT parameters can discriminate asymptomatic VF patients, especially in Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether bone quality measured by HR-pQCT could discriminate asymptomatic VF independent of hip areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and fracture risks evaluated using built-in Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAXBMD).MethodsThis is a nested case–control study. One hundred seventy-five ambulatory Chinese postmenopausal women aged 60–79 years were retrieved from Normative Reference Standards (NRS) cohort in Hong Kong. DXA was used to identify VF from lateral spine images (VFA) using Genant’s semi-quantitative method. Major osteoporotic fracture risk was calculated using FRAX tool. HR-pQCT was used to assess vBMD, microarchitecture, and estimated strength at both distal radius and tibia. Comparison of HR-pQCT parameters between asymptomatic VF and control was performed using covariance analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed for calculating the adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of fracture status as per SD decrease in HR-pQCT parameters.ResultsWomen with asymptomatic VF were older than those of the control in our NRS cohort. Nevertheless, after adjusted for covariance, asymptomatic VF showed significantly lower trabecular vBMD (Tb.vBMD) at radius but higher SMI at tibia as compared with those of the control. Tb.vBMD at radius yielded the highest value of area under the curve (AUC) as compared with total hip aBMD and FRAXBMD. However, no significant difference was found among each other.ConclusionTb.vBMD at the radius and SMI at the tibia provided by HR-pQCT can discriminate asymptomatic VF independent of hip aBMD and FRAXBMD by DXA in postmenopausal women.

Association between body composite indices and vertebral fractures in pre and postmenopausal women in Korea.

The association between obesity and vertebral fracture remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity/abdominal obesity and vertebral fracture according to menopausal status. This nationwide population-based epidemiologic study collected data from the Korean National Health Insurance Services to investigate the association between obesity/abdominal obesity and vertebral fracture in pre and postmenopausal women who underwent national cancer screening in 2009. We used three body composite indices of obesity, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, to classify participants into obesity and abdominal obesity groups. In both pre and postmenopausal groups, participants with obesity showed a higher risk of vertebral fracture and the association was stronger in those with abdominal obesity (p < 0.001). Participants with obesity showed a high risk of vertebral fracture, and the association was stronger in participants with abdominal obesity (p < 0.001). In both pre and postmenopausal groups, participants with obesity showed a higher risk of vertebral fracture (adjusted HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.19–1.30), (adjusted HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03–1.05, and those with abdominal obesity showed even higher risk of vertebral fractures (adjusted HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.27–1.43), (adjusted HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11–1.14). Vertebral fracture risk is higher in pre and postmenopausal women with obesity and even higher in those with abdominal obesity. Therefore, weight management can prevent vertebral fractures.