Risk Of Pathological Fracture Research Articles

Application of machine learning algorithms to predict 30-day hospital readmission following cement augmentation for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

ObjectiveOsteoporosis is a common skeletal disease that greatly increases the risk of pathologic fractures and accounts for approximately 700,000 vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) annually in the United States. Cement augmentation procedures such as balloon kyphoplasty (KP) and percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of VCFs, however, some studies report rates of readmission as high as 10.8% following such procedures. The purpose of this study was to employ Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to predict 30-day hospital readmission following cement augmentation procedures for the treatment of VCFs using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. MethodsACS-NSQIP was queried to identify patients undergoing either KP or VP from 2011 to 2014. Three ML algorithms were constructed and tasked with predicting post-operative readmissions within this cohort of patients. Results: Postoperative pneumonia, ASA Class 2 designation, age, partially-dependent functional status, and a history of smoking were independently identified as highly predictive of readmission by all ML algorithms. Among these variables postoperative pneumonia (p < 0.01), ASA Class 2 designation (p < 0.01), age (p = 0.002), and partially-dependent functional status (p < 0.01) were found to be statistically significant. Predictions were generated with an average AUC value of 0.757 and an average accuracy of 80.5%. ConclusionsPostoperative pneumonia, ASA Class 2 designation, partially-dependent functional status, and age are perioperative variables associated with 30-day readmission following cement augmentation procedures. The use of ML allows for quantification of the relative contributions of these variables toward producing readmission.

Computed tomography-derived structural analysis for the likelihood of pathologic fracture in canine antebrachial osteosarcoma.

Determining the risk of pathologic fracture in dogs with a primary bone tumor would aid in case selection for in-situ treatment options. Prior research found strong relationships between in vitro strength of canine antebrachii with primary bone tumors and CT-derived metrics. This study assesses the prognosis for pathologic fracture in dogs with distal radial bone tumors using CT-derived structural analysis metrics. CT images of the antebrachium in dogs with aggressive osseous lesions of the radius were used to calculate structural rigidity and failure forces, including axial rigidity (AR), craniocaudal bending rigidity (BR), torsional rigidity (TR), and failure forces for a slightly-curved/asymmetric beam (Fs) or a curved beam (Fc). Metrics were compared with the clinical outcome of radial fracture. Eight of 19 dogs with CT-derived metrics developed a radial fracture. The prognostic potential of the metrics to discriminate fractured and nonfractured bones was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves (area under the curve), stepwise logistic regression, and classification regression (CART) analyses. Fc was the most sensitive and specific metric for prognosing fracture occurrence (AUC=0.864). When dog body weight (BW) was included, all five metrics had AUC>0.705. Fc was the best predictor of fracture using stepwise logistic regression and CART analysis, followed by BR. An indication of fracture probability can be determined by normalizing Fc or BR with dog BW or by using the logistic regression equation of either metric with dog BW. Results warrant further analysis of a larger cohort to evaluate fracture likelihood in dogs with antebrachial bone neoplasia.

Modern treatment of unicameral and aneurysmatic bone cysts.

The best treatment of unicameral bone cyst and aneurismatic bone cyst (ABC) is debated in the literature. For simple bone cysts, multiple treatments were proposed from observation only to open curettage. The historical treatment with intraosseous injection of methylprednisolone acetate into the bone cysts nowadays is reduced due to the morbidity of multiple injections and the risk of multiple pathologic fractures until the healing. Different types of treatments for ABC are reported, including surgery, percutaneous treatments, and medical treatments; however, there is currently no consensus on the best approach. The association of curettage, bone graft, and elastic stable intramedullary nail (ESIN) had a success rate of over 85%. Decompressing the cyst wall is more critical for increasing the healing rate than the type of graft used to fill the cavity. In ABC, sclerotherapy offers the advantages of lower invasiveness and morbidity, associated with better functional scores and faster return to full weight-bearing. Moreover, they can be used in challenging locations. Selective arterial embolization is a complex procedure and often requires association with other treatments. Further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of denosumab and its side effects on skeletally immature patients. Curettage with adjuvants and autogenous bone grafting still shows promising results and can be used in larger, aggressive defects or superficial lesions. For simple bone cysts, the combination of curettage, bone graft, and ESIN showed the best results. Sclerotherapy for ABC also shows promising results.

Difficulties Nurses Report in Caring for Patients with Bone Metastases and Their Expectations after Participating in a Bone Metastasis Cancer Board: A Questionnaire Study.

Patients with bone metastases often face physical, mental, and social challenges that require multidisciplinary management. To improve treatment and practice, we conducted a questionnaire survey to assess nurses' opinions of problems related to caring for patients with bone metastases. In addition, we investigated nurses' perceptions of bone metastases after participating in a Bone Metastasis Cancer Board (BMCB). An anonymous questionnaire survey on problems in bone metastasis treatment and the BMCB was conducted. The respondents were nurses with more than 1 year of clinical experience working in wards where patients with bone metastases were admitted. The number of valid responses was 224. Almost all the nurses felt anxiety about the risk of pathological fracture and paralysis while caring for patients with bone metastases. To reduce this anxiety, about 90% of the nurses supported the suggestion that "patients should be referred to an orthopedic surgeon in advance to obtain opinions on load restrictions". Nurses who had participated in the BMCB had higher expectations regarding treatment, multidisciplinary collaboration, and sharing and accumulating knowledge and experience. To improve treatment and nursing care for patients with bone metastases, it is important to make regular BMCB meetings more functional and to actively consult with specialists.

P001 An audit to assess whether patients who had a delayed or missed denosumab dose during the covid-19 pandemic came to any harm or suffered a subsequent fracture

Abstract Background/Aims Denosumab is licensed by NICE for the secondary prevention of osteoporosis in patients who are unable to comply, have an intolerance, or contraindication to bisphosphonates. With the outbreak of Covid-19, denosumab appointments were delayed. A delay of denosumab doses by more than 16 weeks is associated with an increased risk of vertebral fractures. This audit was carried out to see if the Pandemic caused a delayed (&amp;gt;1 month) or missed (&amp;gt;6 months) dose in patients receiving their denosumab injection and whether this delay/missed dose resulted in patients coming to any harm such as a subsequent fracture. Methods We included 166 patients of which 95% were female. We stratified data utilising the Oberoi consulting clinical audit services which provided a database of patients who were on six monthly repeat prescriptions for Denosumab. Retrospective data was collected including indications for denosumab, start date, duration, missed or delayed doses, reasons for delayed doses and whether a fracture of a pathological nature was sustained. We later reviewed if the missed or delayed doses occurred during the covid pandemic (2020-22) and subsequently, if the fracture occurred as a result of the pandemic. Results 34/166(21%) patients did not receive their Denosumab dose on time during Covid-19. 21/166(12.6%) patients had a delayed dose (6 pre-Covid and 15 post-Covid) and 13/166 (7.8%) patients missed a dose entirely (3 pre-Covid and 10 post-Covid) showing more delays/missed doses occurred during the pandemic. Reasons as to why patients did not receive timely doses include, clinical reasons (7/34 20.6%), patient safety decisions made by clinicians in patients’ best interest 12/34(35.3%) and patient choice related factors 15/34 (44.1%). Reasons for delays include not wanting repeat bloods, being on holiday, chest infection low Vitamin D levels, pre dose bloods delayed, patient had covid, and isolating. Whilst on Denosumab, 8/166(4.8%) patients sustained a fracture of which 6/8(75%) also experienced a delayed/missed dose during Covid-19. Conclusion Of the 34/166 patients that had a delayed/missed dose, eight suffered a fracture bringing the fracture risk to 23.5% which is an increase from baseline (6.6%) confirming that a missed Denosumab dose does increase fracture risk. We can conclude a greater proportion of patients endured a missed or delayed dose as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. 8/166(4.8%) patients sustained a fracture of which six had a missed/delayed dose as a result of the pandemic. The conclusions drawn are in keeping with the MHRA4 alert, a missed dose of Denosumab does increase the risk of pathological treatment discontinuation fractures. This highlights to clinicians the significance of timely doses and uninterrupted treatment. Disclosure S. Rehman: None. S. Sultan: None.

Abstract 6267: Evaluating estrogen receptor signaling modifications at bone marrow related stiffnesses in metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Bone metastasis is highly prevalent in breast cancer (BC) patients with metastatic disease and can increase the risk of hypercalcemia and pathological fractures. Several studies have evaluated the mechanisms of metastasized BC cells’ involvement in bone destruction, but how the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment contributes to this process remains ambiguous. Recent studies have shown that as BC cells experience increased stiffnesses outside of the primary microenvironment, there is higher expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, increased expression of osteolytic proteins, and decreased drug responses. However, these changes have not been evaluated at stiffnesses relative to the BM. Estrogen receptor (ER) status also plays a pivotal role in BC patient survival. Clinical studies have indicated that the majority of ER+ patients with metastatic disease have more incidences of bone metastases compared to ER- patients. There is some evidence that suggests that the physical properties can also affect estrogen receptor signaling at the primary site, however, there is minimal work to establish how the physical factors of the BM can affect ER sensitivity after metastasis. We hypothesize that higher stiffness ranges of the BM can alter the estrogen receptor sensitivity of metastasized tumor cells and increase osteolysis. To analyze this question, we seeded ER+ BC cell lines (MCF7s and T47Ds) on CytoSoft® Rigidity Plates that mimicked the stiffness of the BM (0.5 - 32 kPa). After 2 days in culture, we probed the expression of downstream estrogen signaling factors, GREB1, PGR, and TIFF1, to evaluate estrogen activity using western blot. Our results show an increase in downstream estrogen signaling at higher stiffnesses (32 kPa) compared to lower stiffnesses (0.5 kPa) at the protein level but not at the transcriptional level. In the future, we will analyze factors associated with osteolysis (ITGB3, TGFB-RII, and PTHLH). Additionally, we plan to conduct RNA sequencing to analyze any larger transcriptional changes at different stiffnesses. Overall, this work gives insight into how estrogen signaling changes in the BM compared to the primary site. It will also give us insight into potential therapeutic targets for ER+ BC after metastasis to the bone. Citation Format: Logan Alexander Northcutt, Marjan Rafat, Julie Rhoades. Evaluating estrogen receptor signaling modifications at bone marrow related stiffnesses in metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6267.

Effectiveness and safety of pamidronate treatment in nonambulatory children with low bone mineral density.

Nonambulatory pediatric patients may have low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk of pathologic fractures. Though bisphosphonate therapy is the mainstream medical intervention in these children, clinical data regarding this treatment are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bisphosphonate therapy in such children. We conducted a retrospective study of 21 nonambulatory children (Gross Motor Function Classification System level V) with BMD z-score ≤ -2.0 who were treated with intravenous pamidronate for at least 1 year. These patients received pamidronate every 4 months at a dose of 1.0 to 3.0 mg/kg for each cycle and had regular follow-ups for at least 1 year. The main outcome measures were changes in BMD, risk rate of fracture, biochemical data, and adverse events. The average duration of pamidronate treatment was 2.0±0.9 years, and the mean cumulative dose of pamidronate according to body weight was 7.7±2.5 mg/kg/yr. After treatment, the mean lumbar spine bone mineral content, BMD, and height-for-age-z-score-adjusted BMD z-score (BMDhazZ) significantly improved. The relative risk of fracture after treatment was 0.21 (p=0.0032), suggesting that pamidronate treatment reduced fracture incidence significantly. The increase in the average dose per body weight in each cycle significantly increased the changes in BMDhazZ. Pamidronate treatment improved the bone health of nonambulatory children with low bone density without any significant adverse events. Independent of cumulative dosage and duration of treatment, the effectiveness of pamidronate increased significantly with an increase in the average dose per body weight in subsequent cycles.

Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures: Medical, Social Aspects, Clinical Picture, Treatment and Medical Rehabilitation. A Review

INTRODUCTION. Osteoporosis is one of the most common metabolic skeletal diseases in the world, which is characterized by a decrease in bone tissue strength and an increased risk of fractures with minimal trauma, including pathological vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). VCFs are accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life of patients with osteoporosis due to a pronounced pain syndrome, sleep problems, decreased motor and social activity, a high risk of falls and fractures, the development of pathological spinal deformities, decreased lung capacity and increased number of comorbid diseases. In this regard, timely treatment and medical rehabilitation in patients with osteoporosis and VCFs are of particular importance to restore functionality, reduce the risk of developing new fractures, disability and death.&#x0D; MAIN CONTENT OF THE REVIEW. The literature review is the analysis of 7 domestic and 49 foreign literary sources, which was used to describe the prevalence, medical and social significance and clinical picture of osteoporotic VCFs. It provides data on modern methods of drug and non-drug treatment of patients with VCFs. The effectiveness and limitations of the use of physical therapy methods in the rehabilitation of patients with pathological spinal fractures are described in detail.&#x0D; CONCLUSION. It is concluded that VCFs pose a significant healthcare burden due to their high prevalence and negative impact on the quality of life of older patients with osteoporosis. Osteoporotic VCFs lead to the development of severe back pain, limited mobility, spinal deformities, loss of height and permanent disability. An effective strategy for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with osteoporotic VCFs should include the use analgesics, orthotics, correction of nutritional deficiency, elimination of vitamin D and calcium deficiency, modern methods of physical therapy, fall prevention and timely prescription of effective drugs for pathogenetic therapy of osteoporosis to reduce the risk of pathological fractures in the future and ensure a high level of functioning and of the quality of life.

Survival and fracture risk with radium-223 therapy in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): A real-world analysis.

50 Background: Radium-223 is a life-prolonging radionuclide therapy for men with bone-predominant metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). It accumulates at sites of high bone turnover with emerging evidence suggesting use of radium-223 increases risk of pathologic fractures. Bone-protective agents (BPAs) reduce skeletal-related events including pathologic fractures in men with mCRPC. We evaluated real-world outcomes of patients treated with radium-223, including the effect of BPA use on pathologic fracture risk. Methods: This was a single institution retrospective cohort study that included patients with mCRPC treated with radium-223 in Manitoba, Canada from 2014 to 2021. Outcomes of interest included incidence of pathologic fracture, pain response, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) response, and overall survival. Kaplan-Meier method was used for time to event outcomes and multivariable Cox regression models were used to adjust for covariates. Results: We identified 92 patients who received radium-223 for mCRPC (Table). Thirty patients (33%) completed 6 cycles of radium-223. Documented pain relief occurred in 39% of patients. For those with elevated ALP at baseline (n = 46), 57% had at least 30% reduction in total ALP. PSA reduction occurred in 29% with 11% having at least 30% reduction in PSA. Median overall survival (OS) was 9.4 months (95% CI 5.8 to 15.9). Of those who did not receive concurrent BPA, 26% developed a pathologic fracture, compared to 3% who received concurrent BPA during a median follow up of 8.1 months. BPA use was associated with significant delay in time to pathologic fracture (median not reached vs. 15.9 months; HR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05 – 0.76, p &lt; 0.05) after adjusting for number of bone metastases and corticosteroid use. Conclusions: In this real-world study, concurrent BPA use was associated with significant reduction in risk of pathologic fractures in mCRPC patients receiving radium-223. BPA administration should be considered for patients receiving radium-223. [Table: see text]

Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer that arises from plasma cells in bone marrow. Approximately 35,730 Americans received a new diagnosis and MM will claim the lives of an estimated 12,590 people in 2023. Complications of the disease process include anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, renal failure, severe pain, bone loss, and hypercalcemia. Patients with MM have a high risk for pathological fractures. For most forms of MM there are effective treatments that may result in long-term remission using multi-drug regimens. Although the medications approved in the United States to treat MM generally produce good outcomes, they have serious, and potentially life-threatening adverse effects. In addition, patients with specific genetic variations are at high risk for relapse. Communication with the oncology team and early intervention in the event of adverse effects of medications, complications of the disease process, or evidence of relapse are important to obtain the best possible outcome. Patients are easily overwhelmed with a three- to four-drug treatment regimen with some drugs given intravenously and/or subcutaneously at the clinic, and others taken orally at home on specific days of each 28-day cycle. Home care nursing is needed to assess for tolerance, adverse effects, and to address patient concerns. Medication management and teaching are very important in guiding patients to safely manage a schedule that changes daily. In addition, the high risk of pathological fractures and serious injury if the patient should fall supports the need for physical and occupational therapy fall prevention and safety education and exercise programs to help avert decline in functional status and combat cancer-related fatigue.

Massive bone destruction in a human proximal femur from ancient Nubia.

Massive bone destruction in a human right proximal femur is described and differentially discussed in this case study. The individual was an older adult female buried at the ancient Nubian site of Tombos (modern-day Sudan) dating to the early Napatan/Third Intermediate Period (c. 1069-750 BCE). The right femur displayed a pathologic fracture with extensive lytic destruction and resorption of the entire femoral neck, most of the femoral head, and trochanters. Macroscopic and radiographic analyses revealed cortical thinning of the proximal diaphysis with new bone formation enclosing the medullary cavity. The lesion is eccentrically located involving the anterior aspect of the neck. Numerous vascular channels are apparent in the underlying bone. Sclerotic bone marks the limit of the lesion, and osseous lucency is visible in the radiograph. The individual displayed no other lytic lesions; vertebral osteophytic growth, compression fractures, and Schmorl's nodes were observed along with dental disease typical for older individuals. A traumatic etiology is eliminated due to the extensive osteolysis. Vascular, congenital, and developmental conditions are also not consistent with the observed changes. Expansive osteolytic lesions may have been caused by a cyst. Neoplastic tumors resulting in lytic lesions with a high risk of pathologic fracture are also consistent. There have been few reports of such extensive lytic lesions of the proximal femur in the paleopathological and clinical literature; this case adds an example of this underreported condition.

Methodological principles of diagnosis verification and treatment tactics determination in combat limb injuries with bone defects

Objective. To develop a classification system for long bone defects resulting from combat limb injuries, establish criteria for predicting pathological fractures, and determine indicators for assessing the feasibility of converting the fixation method in combat-related injuries. Methods. The modern literature regarding the treatment of combat-related long bone defects resulting was analyzed in three databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The analysis was conducted using keywords such as combat injuries, bone defect, non-union, auto- and allograft transplantation, Ilizarov method — bone transport, Masquelet method — induced membrane, and fixation method replacement. The clinical material used for this study was derived from the evaluation and treatment of 457 patients with long bone defects at the III–IV medical intervention stage. Results. The determination of modern perspectives on the fundamental issues of combat injuries, combined with the analysis of treatment outcomes for such patients, enabled the development and validation of a classification of bone defects that incorporates the volume of bone tissue loss. Furthermore, a prognostic table for the risk of pathological fractures in cases of bone defects and a scoring scale for assessing the feasibility of fixation method conversion have been introduced and applied. Conclusions. The proposed classification allows the verification of all types of long bone defects. Its application in clinical practice offers the possibility of obtaining optimal and standardized treatment methods for different types of bone defects, thus improving outcomes by choice of appropriate technologies for their replacement. The objectification of fracture risk factors identification for bone defects enables the choice of the method and means of segment stabilization. The assessment of the feasibility of the fixation method change allows the evaluation of the patientʼs condition and the local status, facilitating the determination of the potential for method conversion — transition from external fixation devices to intramedullary osteosynthesis, significantly reducing complications during this stage.

Osteoporosis and bone health in pediatric patients with epidermolysis bullosa: A scoping review.

Nutritional compromise, low levels of vitamin D, chronic inflammation, abnormal growth, and physical inactivity affect bone metabolism and compromise long-term bone health in individuals with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The result is a high risk for osteopenia, osteoporosis, and pathologic fractures, but this important consequence of EB has been the focus of few investigations. Our scoping review found 21 publications that assessed the current understanding and clinical practices for monitoring of osteoporosis and its treatment in EB. Recommendations summarized from 13 of these publications include early nutritional and weight assessments before 2 years of age; bloodwork every 6-12 months starting at birth; Tanner stage assessments every 6 months to detect any pubertal delay; DEXA scans starting at age 6 years with repeated scans every 1-2 years, except in mild cases; and vitamin D supplementation of 80-320 IU daily for children 0-7 years and 720 IU for patients >8 years.

Treatment and Outcomes of 4,973 Unicameral Bone Cysts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

» Unicameral bone cysts (UBCs) can increase the risk of pathologic fractures of both long and short bones. Although multiple treatments exist, data are conflicting regarding optimal management.» We sought to analyze treatment strategies for UBCs and their rates of successful treatment.» Success rates were analyzed according to treatment modality, with emphasis on filling techniques and/or decompression associated with curettage, and injection compounds.» Curettage with bone substitute and cyst decompression was identified as a highly successful technique for UBC treatment.» Decompressing the cyst wall after injection, regardless of the specific compound used, had a greater potential to enhance healing rates.» The management decision should be individually guided within the patient's context. Level of Evidence: Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Efficacy and risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw for pamidronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab in comparison to alendronate in multiple myeloma patients

Background Approximately 70% of multiple myeloma patients develop pathologic fractures. Osteoclast inhibitors can provide reduction in vertebral fractures with an increased risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). ONJ associated with currently used osteoclast inhibitors causes significant morbidity, often from delayed diagnosis and ineffective treatment. Methods The TriNetX Diamond Network was used to create patient cohorts for each medication: alendronate, pamidronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab. All patients had a diagnosis of multiple myeloma as identified by International Classification of Disease–10 (ICD-10) code C90.0. Pamidronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab were each compared to alendronate for 5-year incidence of pathologic vertebral fracture (ICD-10 M48.50XA) and development of ONJ. Results The 5-year risk of pathologic vertebral fracture was not statistically different between alendronate versus pamidronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab. However, the 5-year risk of ONJ was significantly higher for both zoledronic acid and denosumab (relative risk 4.85 and 2.9, respectively). Conclusion This study shows that fracture reduction risk is comparable for all four treatments in multiple myeloma patients, but ONJ risk is lowest for alendronate and pamidronate. Overall, these data support the continued use of pamidronate and alendronate in multiple myeloma patients.

A New Deep Learning Algorithm for Detecting Spinal Metastases on Computed Tomography Images.

Retrospective diagnostic study. To automatically detect osteolytic bone metastasis lesions in the thoracolumbar region using conventional computed tomography (CT) scans, we developed a new deep learning (DL)-based computer-aided detection model. Radiographic detection of bone metastasis is often difficult, even for orthopedic surgeons and diagnostic radiologists, with a consequent risk for pathologic fracture or spinal cord injury. If we can improve detection rates, we will be able to prevent the deterioration of patients' quality of life at the end stage of cancer. This study included CT scans acquired at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) Hospital between 2016 and 2022. A total of 263 positive CT scans that included at least one osteolytic bone metastasis lesion in the thoracolumbar spine and 172 negative CT scans without bone metastasis were collected for the datasets to train and validate the DL algorithm. As a test data set, 20 positive and 20 negative CT scans were separately collected from the training and validation datasets. To evaluate the performance of the established artificial intelligence (AI) model, sensitivity, precision, F1-score, and specificity were calculated. The clinical utility of our AI model was also evaluated through observer studies involving six orthopaedic surgeons and six radiologists. Our AI model showed a sensitivity, precision, and F1-score of 0.78, 0.68, and 0.72 (per slice) and 0.75, 0.36, and 0.48 (per lesion), respectively. The observer studies revealed that our AI model had comparable sensitivity to orthopaedic or radiology experts and improved the sensitivity and F1-score of residents. We developed a novel DL-based AI model for detecting osteolytic bone metastases in the thoracolumbar spine. Although further improvement in accuracy is needed, the current AI model may be applied to current clinical practice. Level III.

Comparison of Hounsfield units and vertebral bone quality score for the prediction of time to pathologic fracture in mobile spine metastases treated with radiotherapy.

Spine metastases are commonly treated with radiotherapy for local tumor control; pathologic fracture is a potential complication of spinal radiotherapy. Both Hounsfield units (HUs) on CT and vertebral bone quality (VBQ) on MRI have been argued to predict stability as measured by odds of pathologic fracture, although it is unclear if there is a difference in the predictive power between the two methodologies. The objective of the present study was to examine whether one methodology is a better predictor of pathologic fracture following radiotherapy for mobile spine metastases. Patients who underwent radiotherapy (conventional external-beam radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy, or intensity-modulated radiation therapy) for mobile spine (C1-L5) metastases at a tertiary care center were retrospectively identified. Details regarding underlying pathology, patient demographics, and tumor morphology were collected. Vertebral involvement was assessed using the Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini (WBB) system. Bone quality of the non-tumor-involved bone was assessed on both pretreatment CT and MRI. Univariable analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of fracture, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to identify significant predictors of time to pathologic fracture. Stepwise Cox regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of time to fracture. One hundred patients were included (mean age 62.7 ± 11.9 years; 61% male), of whom 35 experienced postradiotherapy pathologic fractures. The most common histologies were lung (22%), prostate (21%), breast (14%), and renal cell (13%). On univariable analysis, the mean HUs of the vertebrae adjacent to the fractured vertebra were significantly lower among those experiencing fracture; VBQ was not significantly associated with fracture odds. Survival analysis showed that average HUs ≤ 132, nonprostate pathology, involvement of ≥ 3 vertebral body segments on the WBB system, Spine Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) ≥ 7, and the presence of axial pain all predicted increased odds of fracture (all p < 0.001). Cox regression found that HUs ≤ 132 (OR 2.533, 95% CI 1.257-5.103; p = 0.009), ≥ 3 WBB vertebral body segments involved (OR 2.376, 95% CI 1.132-4.987; p = 0.022), and axial pain (OR 2.036, 95% CI 0.916-4.526; p = 0.081) predicted increased fracture odds, while prostate pathology predicted decreased odds (OR 0.076, 95% CI 0.009-0.613; p = 0.016). Sensitivity analysis suggested that an HU threshold of ≤ 132 and a SINS of ≥ 7 identified patients at increased risk of fracture. The present results suggest that bone density surrogates as measured on CT, but not MRI, can be used to predict the risk of pathologic fracture following radiotherapy for mobile spine metastases. More extensive vertebral body involvement and the presence of mechanical axial pain additionally predict increased fracture odds.

Pathological fracture increases the risk of unsatisfactory functional results and avascular necrosis in children with proximal femur simple bone cysts

IntroductionProximal femur simple bone cysts (SBCs) are rare in children, but with a risk of pathological fractures and the associated poor outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the functional and radiographic outcomes of children with proximal femur SBCs. Patients and Methods38 children with proximal femur SBCs treated surgically at our department, West China hospital, were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether pathological fractures presented before treatment. The non-fracture group received treatment of open curettage, cavity electrocauterization, bone grafting, and fixation (proximal femoral plate, intramedullary nail or Kirschner wire). The pathological fracture group received the same procedures of curettage, electrocauterization, grafting, and fixation. Autogenous iliac bone grafting was done in all cases, and the artificial bone was used as a supplementary based on the size of the cavity. Postoperatively, all patients underwent hip spica or similar orthosis immobilization for six weeks and received the same rehabilitation program after the removal of hip spica. Patients were evaluated by two independent observers, including the functional results based on the Ratliff's criteria, avascular necrosis, healing rate based on the Neer scoring system, coxa vara, and premature physeal arrest. We described the good outcome in Ratliff's criteria as “Satisfactory results”, and fair and poor outcomes as “Unsatisfactory results.” Grade 1 and grade 2 Neer results were termed as failures in treatment, and grades 3 and 4 were considered successes and healing. Results38 patients with 38 hips (18 on the left side and 20 on the right side) were evaluated, including 9 females and 29 males, with a mean age of 9.0±2.6 years old (range, 5 to 14 years). There was no significant difference between these two groups in the baseline data of gender, age, side, grafting, staging, and fixation methods. The rate of unsatisfactory functional results in the pathological fractures group was 56.3% (9/16), significantly higher than that in patients without fracture (22.7%, 5/22. p= 0.047). There was also a significant difference in avascular necrosis of the femoral head between the pathological fractures group (7/16) and the group without fracture (2/22, p=0.021). Thirty cases presented with healing, including 13 in the fractures group and 17 in the non-fracture group (p=1.000), and eight cases were graded as failures (2 cases of grade 1 and 6 cases of grade 2). There were also no significant differences between these two groups in premature physeal arrest (2 in fracture group and 1 in non-fracture group, P=0.562), and Coxa vara (3 in the fracture group and 0 in non-fracture group, P=0.066). ConclusionsPathological fracture significantly increases the risk of unsatisfactory functional results and avascular necrosis of the femoral head in patients with femoral neck SBCs. Prophylactic treatment and fixation of SBCs in weight bearing proximal femur region is better to manage without complications than managing with pathological fractures.

Assessing the Casual Association between Sex Hormone Levels and Fracture Risk: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Prior observational studies have reported that levels of sex hormones constitute a risk factor for the fracture. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether there is a causal relationship between the levels of sex hormones and the risk of fracture through Mendelian randomization (MR). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with two indicators of sex hormone levels, circulating sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and bioavailable testosterone levels, as exposures were selected from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) from UK Biobank. The summary statistics for 11 different types of fracture as outcomes from the FinnGen consortium. This study employed the two-sample MR approach. For the main analysis, the inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) method was utilized. To assess the heterogeneity of MR results, the IVW method and MR-Egger method were utilized. To evaluate potential pleiotropy, MR-Egger regression was conducted. Additionally, a leave-one-SNP-out test was performed to assess the robustness of MR results to the exclusion of any individual SNP. The MR analyses demonstrated a conspicuous impact of SHBG on the risk of pathological fracture with osteoporosis (OP). We found that an increase of one standard deviation (SD) in SHBG correspondingly increased the risk of pathological fracture with OP [odds ratio (OR) 2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.52-3.85; p = 1.93 × 10-4 ]. The bioavailable testosterone showed the negative casual genetic associations with fractures of foot and forearm. An increase of one SD in the genetically predetermined bioavailable testosterone was associated with a reduction of 37% in the risk of fracture of foot (OR 0.63, 95% Cl 0.49 to 0.81; p = 3.37 × 10-4 ), as well as a 39% decrease in the risk of fracture of forearm (OR 0.61, 95% Cl 0.50 to 0.76; p = 5.40 × 10-6 ). Our study confirms that individuals experiencing elevated SHBG concentrations showed a major causal effect on pathological fracture with OP. High bioavailable testosterone levels play an important role in preventing the fractures of foot and forearm. Although increasing bioavailable testosterone and decreasing SHBG levels had no casual effect on most fractures in the general population, they are likely to have the most clinically relevant effect on certain fracture risk reduction.

Open surgical treatment of unicameral bone cysts : Aretrospective data analysis.

Avariety of treatment options for unicameral bone cysts (UBC) exist. The controversy of open management of UBC is discussed. The aim of this study was to analyze asingle institution's experience in the open surgical treatment of UBC. By retrospective analysis of the Vienna Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Registry, 119 patients with open surgery and histologically verified UBC with amean follow up of 4.8 years (range 1-30 years) were included. Lesion treatment failure was defined as surgically addressed UBC undergoing revision surgery due to persistence or recurrence. Local revision-free survival for lesion treatment failure was 93% after 1 year, 80% after 2 years, 60% after 5 years and 57% after 10 years. Of the patients 34 (29%) had at least 1 revision surgery due to lesion treatment failure. We found that patients with lesion treatment failure were younger (p = 0.03), had UBC with less minimal distance to the growth plate (p = 0.02) and more septation chambers in radiologic imaging (p = 0.02). Patients with open revision surgery were less likely to require a second revision due to lesion treatment failure than patients with percutaneous revision surgery (p = 0.03). Open surgery for UBC can only be recommended as reserve treatment in younger children with actively growing lesions. Open UBC surgery carries arelatively high risk of almost 30% of lesion treatment failure and therefore the indications should be limited to extensive osteolysis with high risk of pathological fractures, lesions with displaced pathological fractures, and lesions with an ambiguous radiological presentation that require tissue collection.