Bone Mineral Density in Girls with Forearm Fractures

• DOI: 10.1359/jbmr.1998.13.1.143
• Publication Date: 2006-04-26T22:45:43Z
• Authors: A. Dr. Goulding; R. Cannan; S. M. Williams; E. J. Gold; R. W. Taylor; N. J. Lewis-Barned
• Keywords: Adolescent; Health Status; Puberty; Ulna Fractures; Radiography; Radius; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Bone Density; Child, Preschool; Humans; Female; Femur; Child; Radius Fractures

In childhood, the most common site of fracture is distal forearm. To determine whether young girls with these fractures have low bone density more commonly than fracture-free controls, we measured at radius, spine, hip, and whole body total mineral content, lean tissue mass, fat mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 100 Caucasian aged 3-15 years recent forearm age- gender-matched controls. Bone (age-adjusted ratios all cases:controls 95% confidence intervals) was lower cases ultradistal radius 0.963 (0.930-0.996), 33% 0.972 (0.945-0.999), lumbar spine 0.945 (0.911-0.980), hip trochanter 0.952 (0.918-0.988), 0.978 (0.961-0.995). Moreover, osteopenia (defined as Z score below -1), controls (p < 0.05) forearm, one third having spinal density. Odds (95% for were: 2.2 (1.1-4.6); L2-L4, 2.6 (1.3-4.9); femur trochanter, 2.0 (1.0-3.9). Fracture patients 8-10 weighed (mean +/- SD) age-matched (37.2+/-8.0 kg vs. 32.5+/-6.6 kg, p 0.01) while older reported current past calcium intakes matched 0.05). We conclude that throughout skeleton those who never broken a bone, supporting view may contribute to risk childhood.