Correlations of osteoporotic vertebral deformation to bone mineral density and bone metabolic levels

GAO Fei; ZHANG Yu; WANG Hongwei; QIAO Jufeng; GAO Feng; MO Jixian; TANG Qi

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-666X.2015.03.001

Abstract：Objective To investigate the correlations of vertebral deformation to bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolic levels for osteoporotic patients. Methods According to GENANT semi-quantitative method, a total of 883 patients with osteoporosis were divided into 5 groups for different degrees of deformation of lumbar vertebrae (GENANT 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3). BMD, body mass index (BMI), procollagen type Ⅰamino-terminal propeptide (PINP), type I collagen degradation fragment ( β-crosslaps) and N-terminal mid-fragment of osteocalcin (N-MID) were measured in each group. Relationships of osteoporotic vertebral deformation and the above parameters were analyzed, and the correlations of fracture risks to age, gender and the above parameters were also observed. Results Vertebral deformation grade was negatively correlated with BMD and BMI (P <0.05), while positively related with levels of the bone turnover markers (P <0.05); BMD and BMI in GENANT 3 group were lower than those in the other groups, while the levels of bone turnover markers in GENANT 1, 2, 3 groups were higher than those of GENANT 0 or 0.5 group, that meant the lowest level was in GENANT 0 group (P <0.05). As for osteoporotic vertebral fractures, the incidence in female patients was higher than that in male patients, which showed increase tendency with age. For patients in group of 80 years old and over, BMD, BMI and levels of bone turnover markers were lowest, with the highest proportion of the vertebral body deformation (P <0.05). Conclusions Osteoporotic vertebral deformation is related to BMD, BMI and bone turnover markers such as PINP, β-crosslaps and N-MID. The comprehensive application of age, gender, BMD, BMI and bone turnover markers would improve the accuracy of the assessment of vertebral deformation, which could provide guidance to predict the degree of vertebral deformation and fracture risk for osteoporotic patients.