Vertebral Fractures and Bone Density in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Alexandra Papaioannou, Courtney Kennedy, Andreas Freitag, John O'Neill, Margaret Pui, George Ioannidis, Colin Webber, Anjali Pathak, Suzanne Hansen, Rosamund Hennessey, Jonathan D. Adachi
Primary Institution: McMaster University
Hypothesis
What are the longitudinal changes in bone mineral density and the prevalence of vertebral fractures in adult cystic fibrosis patients?
Conclusion
Approximately one in five cystic fibrosis patients demonstrated at least one or more vertebral fractures, with moderate declines in bone mineral density observed.
Supporting Evidence
- The rate of at least one vertebral fracture increased from 16.3% at baseline to 21.3% after 3 years.
- Mean BMD T-scores at baseline were -0.80 at the lumbar spine, -0.57 at the proximal femur, and -0.71 at the whole body.
- The mean percent change in BMD was -1.93% at the proximal femur and -0.73% at the lumbar spine over approximately 4 years.
Takeaway
This study found that many young adults with cystic fibrosis have broken bones in their spine, which can make their lungs work worse.
Methodology
Retrospective chart review of patients attending an Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, with analysis of chest radiographs and DXA scans.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on retrospective chart data and the subjective nature of radiological assessments.
Limitations
The study relied on retrospective data and had a small sample size, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of 25.2 years, 43% male, with a BMI range indicating healthy weight.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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