Differences in Bone Porosity and Strength by Age and Gender
Author Information
Author(s): Burghardt Andrew J, Kazakia Galateia J, Ramachandran Sweta, Link Thomas M, Majumdar Sharmila
Primary Institution: University of California–San Francisco
Hypothesis
The resolvable level of intracortical porosity changes with age in coincidence with an overall decrease in bone mass.
Conclusion
Cortical porosity increases with age and is associated with significant deficits in bone strength, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Supporting Evidence
- Intracortical porosity was found to increase with age in both men and women.
- The biomechanical deficit associated with cortical porosity was significantly higher for postmenopausal women.
- Age-related differences in cortical porosity were more pronounced than differences in standard cortical metrics.
- Porosity-related measures provided significant discrimination in bone quality for women in their fifties versus sixties.
Takeaway
As people get older, their bones can get more holes in them, which makes them weaker and more likely to break, especially for women after menopause.
Methodology
High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was used to image the distal radius and tibia of subjects, and micro-finite element analysis was performed to assess biomechanical properties.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding factors include anthropomorphic characteristics and interethnic differences.
Limitations
The resolution of HR-pQCT limits the size of pores captured, and the study may be underpowered for some age groups.
Participant Demographics
151 subjects (57 male, 94 female; ages 20 to 78 years; diverse ethnic backgrounds).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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