Objective To determine whether statins has some effects on the treatment of cardio-cerebral vascular diseases or hyperlipdemia increases bone mineral density （BMD）. Methods One hundred and sixty-two patients aged over 60 were identified in the outpatient-department of Geriatrics of West China Hospital from Jan. 1998 to Aug. 2003. Seventy cases were exposed to statins with follow-up for 5 years. BMD of the spine, femoral neck, femoral wards triangle and femoral trochanter was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The multiple regression analysis was used to exclude potential confounders, e.g. age, BMI, comorbidity,etc. Results Those elderly patients with a history of taking statins had higher BMD, such as femoral neck with t =-2. 466 （P =0. 015）, femoral wards triangle with t =-2. 483 （P = 0. 014 ）and femoral trochanter with t =-2. 743 （P =0. 007 ）than the control elderly at the end of follow-up. Conclusions It has been found that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors （statins ） may prevent bone loss in elderly patients by increasing BMD. Further prospective studies of statins are needed to confirm these observatioris.
Objective To investigate the association between the genetic polymorphisms of osteoprotegerin gene and bone mineral density ( BMD) in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) .Methods 178 elderly COPD patients admitted in respiratory department between January 2008 and December 2009 were recruited as a COPD group. 195 elderly healthy subjects without COPD were recruited as a control group. The subjects were all chosen from the Han population in Lanzhou city, Gansu province. Pulmonary function ( FEV1 /FVC, FEV1% pred) , body mass index ( BMI) , serum calcium ( Ca) , serum phosphate ( P) , and alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) were determined in all subjects. The OPG gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism ( PCR-RFLP) . BMD was examined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results In the COPD group, the distribution frequency of AAGG, GATA, and GGTT in OPG HTT gene-linked polymorphic region G209A and T245G were 2.5%, 27.2% , and 72.3% , respectively, which in the control group were 2.2% , 26.9% , and 70.9%, respectively. The genotype distribution difference of two groups had no statistical significance ( P gt; 0.05) . There were also no statistical differences in BMI, serum Ca, serum P, serum ALP or BMD between different genotype subgroups in two groups ( P gt;0.05) . In the COPD group, the genotype distribution had no statistical significance between different BMD subgroups( P gt; 0.05) . Conclusion In the elderly patients with COPD from Han population at Lanzhou city, OPG HTT gene-linked polymorphic region and T245G gene polymorphism have no significant correlation with reduced lung function, reduced BMD and bone metabolism which are not likely to be susceptibility loci for osteoporosis in COPD patients.
Objective To study the effectiveness of long segment fixation combined with vertebroplasty (LSF-VP) for severe osteoporotic thoracolumbar compressive fractures with kyphosis deformity. Methods Between March 2006 and May 2012, a retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 48 cases of severe osteoporotic thoracolumbar compressive fractures with more than 50% collapse of the anterior vertebral body or more than 40 ° of sagittal angulation, which were treated by LSF-VP in 27 cases (LSF-VP group) or percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in 21 cases (PKP group). All patients suffered from single thoracolumbar vertebral compressive fracture at T11 to L2. There was no significant difference in gender, age, spinal segment, and T values of bone mineral density between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). The effectiveness of the treatment was appraised by visual analogue scale (VAS), Cobb angle of thoracolumbar kyphosis, height of anterior/posterior vertebral body, and compressive ratio of vertebrae before and after operations. Results The LSF-VP group had longer operation time, hospitalization days, and more bone cement injection volume than the PKP group, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss in LSF-VP group ranged from 220 to 1 050 mL (mean, 517 mL). No pulmonaryor cerebral embolism or cerebrospinal fluid leakage was found in both groups. Asymptomatic bone cement leakage was found in 3 cases of LSF-VP group and 2 cases of PKP group. The patients were followed up for 16-78 months (mean, 41.1 months) in LSF-VP group, and 12-71 months (mean, 42.1 months) in PKP group. No fixation failure such as loosened or broken pedicle screw was found in LSF-VP group during the follow-up, and no re-fracture or adjacent vertebral body fracture was found. Two cases in PKP group at 39 and 56 months after operation respectively were found to have poor maintenance of vertebral height and loss of rectification (Cobb angle was more than 40º) with recurrence of pain, which were treated by second surgery of LSF-VP; another case had compressive fracture of the adjacent segment and thoracolumbar kyphosis at 16 months after operation, which was treated by second surgery of LSF-VP. There were significant differences in the other indexes between each pair of the three time points (P lt; 0.05), except the Cobb angle of thoracolumbar kyphosis, and the height of posterior vertebral body between discharge and last follow-up in LSF-VP group, and except the Cobb angle of thoracolumbar kyphosis and compressive ratio of bertebrae between discharge and last follow-up in PKP group (P gt; 0.05). After operation, the other indexes of LSF-VP group were significantly better than those of PKP group at each time point (P lt; 0.05), except the VAS score and the height of posterior vertebral body at discharge (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion The effectiveness of LSF-VP is satisfactory in treating severe osteoporotic thoracolumbar compressive fractures with kyphosis deformity. LSF-VP can acquire better rectification of kyphosis and recovery of vertebral body height than PKP.
Objective To review the progress of the pedicle screw augmentation technique by bone cement. Methods Recent literature about the pedicle screw augmentation technique by bone cement was reviewed and analysed. The characters were summarized. Results Pedicle augmentation technique includes the augmentation of ordinary solid pedicle screw and hollow pedicle screw. Both types could increase the fixation strength and gain satisfactory clinical results. Bone cement leakage had a certain incidence rate, but most of cases were asymptom. Conclusion Bone cement augmentation of pedicle screw is an effective and safe internal fixation for poor bone condition.
Objective To establish a rapid, simple, and economic method to prepare osteoporosis (OP) in vitro model. Methods Eighty pairs of fresh goat femur were collected from 18-month-old female goats and were randomly divided into 4 groups (20 pairs in each group). The femur was immersed decalcifying solution (18% EDTA) for 1-5 days (group B), 6-10 days (group C), and 11-15 days (group D), while group A had no treatment as control. Four pairs of femur were taken out every day. Quantitative computed tomography was used to scan the medial and lateral femoral condyles, and the bone mineral density (BMD) was calculated. Electronic universal testing machine was used to do three-point bending test and compress and tensile ultimate strenght test, and the mechanical parameters for femur were calculated. Results With demineralized time passing, BMD of the medial and lateral femoral condyles were downtrend in groups A, B, C, and D, showing significant differences among 4 groups (P lt; 0.05); BMD of the lateral femoral condyle was significantly higher than that of the medial femoral condyle in each group (P lt; 0.05). The three-point bending test showed that broken load, ultimate strength, and elastic modulus of groups A and B were significantly higher than those of groups C and D (P lt; 0.05); but no significant difference was found between groups A and B, and between groups C and D (P gt; 0.05). Compress and tensile ultimate strength test showed that the compress and tensile ultimate strengths were significantly higher in group A than in groups C and D (P lt; 0.05), and in group B than in group D (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was found between groups A and B, between groups B and C, and between groups C and D (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion The 18% EDTA immersing for 6-15 days is a fast, simple, economical method to prepare an OP in vitro model of goat femur.
Objective To explore the effectiveness of bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation for intertrochanteric fracture in elderly osteoporotic patients. Methods Bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation were used for intertrochanteric fracture in 48 elderly osteoporotic patients between January 2004 and December 2010. Of 48 patients, 15 were male and 33 were female, aged 90-99 years (mean, 94.1 years). All fractures were caused by falling, and pathological fracture was excluded. It was 2-7 days (mean, 4.2 days) from fracture to surgery. According to the Tronzo Evans classification, 25 cases were rated as type IV, 20 cases as type III, and 3 cases as type II. And all of the cases were accompanied with severe osteoporosis and accompanied by more than one medical diseases, and 10 cases had spinal compression fracture. Results All patients underwent the operation successfully. Six cases died of underlying medical illness within 2 years postoperatively. A total of 39 cases were followed up 2-7 years, averaged 3.1 years. After operation, short-term mental disorders occurred in 9 cases, suspected urinary tract infection in 2 cases, sacral rear bedsore in 1 case, hip pain in 1 case, thigh pain in 1 case, and deep vein thrombosis of affected limb in 1 case. All the incisions healed by first intension, and X-ray film showed bone union in all cases; no complications of bone osteolysis, prosthesis loosening, subsidence, rupture, and heterotopic ossification occured postoperatively. No case needed revision. According to the Harris score system, the results were excellent in 5 cases, good in 28 cases, fair in 5 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 84.6%; the score at 2 years was significantly higher than that at 6 weeks (t= — 14.79, P=0.00). The physical health score and mental health score of SF-12 at 2 years postoperatively were significantly higher than those at 6 weeks postoperatively (P lt; 0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 6 weeks and 2 years postoperatively were significantly lower than those at preoperation (P lt; 0.05), and the score at 2 years was significantly lower than that at 6 weeks (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation for intertrochanteric fracture in elderly osteoporotic patients has the advantages of firm fixation, early function exercise with load bearing, pain relieving, improving hip function, and avoiding complication in bed.
Objective To evaluate the fixation strength of expansive pedicle screw (EPS) at different bone mineral density (BMD) levels, further to provide theoretical evidence for the clinical application of the EPS in patients with osteoporosis. Methods Fresh human cadaver spines (T12-L5 spines) were divided into 4 levels: normal BMD, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and severe osteoporosis according to the value of BMD, 12 vertebra in each level. Conventional pedicle screw (CPS) or EPS was implanted into the bilateral vertebra in CPS group and EPS group, respectively, 12 screws in each group per BMD level. Screw pullout tests were conducted. The maximum pullout strength, stiffness, and energy absorption were determined by an AG-IS material testing machine with constant rate of loading in a speed of 5 mm/ min. Results With the decline of BMD from normal to severe osteoporosis level, the maximum pullout strength and the stiffness correspondingly declined (P lt; 0.05). In CPS group, the energy absorption gradually decreased (P lt; 0.05); in EPS group, significant difference was found between other different BMD levels (P lt; 0.05) except between normal BMD and osteopenia and between osteoporosis and severe osteoporosis (P gt; 0.05). At the same BMD level, the maximum pullout strength of EPS group was significantly larger than that of CPS group (P lt; 0.05); the stiffness of EPS group was significantly higher than that of CPS group (P lt; 0.05) except one at normal BMD level; and no significant difference was found in the energy absorption between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05) except one at osteopenia level. No significant difference was found in maximum pullout strength, stiffness, and energy absorption between EPS group at osteoporosis level and CPS group at osteopenia level (P gt; 0.05); however, the maximum pullout strength, stiffness, and energy absorption of EPS group at severe osteoporosis level were significantly lower than those of CPS group at osteopenia level (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Compared with CPS, the EPS can significantly improve the fixation strength, especially in patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis.
【Abstract】 Objective To study the effectiveness of computer assisted pedicle screw insertion in osteoporotic spinalposterior fixation. Methods Between December 2009 and March 2011, 51 patients underwent pedicle screw fixation using the computer assisted navigation (navigation group), while 41 patients underwent the conventional technique (traditional group). All patients had osteoporosis under the dual-energy X-rays absorptiometry. There was no significant difference in age, gender, bone mineral density, involved segment, preoperative complications, and other general status between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). The amount of blood loss, the operation time, the rate of the pedicle screw re-insertion, and the postoperative complication were observed. The state of the pedicle screw location was assessed by CT postoperatively with the Richter’s classification and the fusion state of the bone graft was observed using three-dimensional (3-D) CT scans during follow-up. Results A total of 250 screws were inserted in navigation group, and 239 were inserted successfully at first time while the other 11 screws (4.4%) were re-inserted. A total of 213 screws were inserted in traditional group, and 190 were successful at first time while 23 screws (10.8%) were re-inserted. There was significant difference in the rate of screws re-insertion between 2 groups (χ2=6.919, P=0.009). Both the amount of blood loss and the operation time in navigation group were significantly less than those in traditional group (P lt; 0.05). According to Richter’s classification for screw location, the results were excellent in 240 screws, good in 10 screws innavigation group; the results were excellent in 191 screws, good in 21 screws, and poor in 1 screw in traditional group. Significant difference was noticed in the screw position between 2 groups (χ2=7.566, P=0.023). The patients were followed up (7.8 ± 1.5) months in navigation group and (8.7 ± 1.5) months in traditional group. No loosening, extraction, and breakage of the pedicle screw occurred in navigation group, and all these patients had successful fusion within 6 months postoperatively. While in traditional group, successful fusion was shown in the other patients by 3-D CT, except the absorption of bone graft was found in only 1 patient at 6 months after operation. And then, after braking by adequate brace and enhancing the anti-osteoporotic therapy, the bone graft fused at 9 months postoperatively. Conclusion The computer assisted navigating pedicle screw insertion could effective reduce the deviation or re-insertion of the screws, insuring the maximum stabil ity of each screw, mean while it can reduce the exposure time and blood loss, avoiding complication. The computer assisted navigation would be a useful technique which made the pedicle screw fixation more safe and stable in patients with osteoporosis.
Objective To summary the functional roles and molecular mechanisms of microRNA (miRNA) in osteoblast differentiation so as to supply information for basic and cl inical researches. Methods Recent l iterature concerning miRNA in osteoblast differentiation was reviewed. The information was classified and summarized. Results miRNAs critically regulate bone morphogenetic protein, transforming growth factor β, and Wnt/β-catenin signal ing pathways during osteoblast differentiation. In pathological conditions, especially in some disorders of abnormal osteoblast differentiation, downregulated miRNA expression has been observed. Conclusion miRNA may represent a novel biomarker for diagnosis, and a candidate target therapies for the disorders with abnormal osteoblast differentiation.
Objective To investigate the prel iminary effectiveness of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in treating vertebral compressive fractures in patients with osteoporosis. Methods Between February 2008 and June 2010, 31 cases (31vertebrae) of osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures were treated with PKP. Of 31 cases, 10 were male and 21 were female, aged from 64 to 80 years (mean, 70.7 years). All fractures were caused by mild trauma with an disease duration of 1-13 days. Affected vertebrae included T12 in 8 cases, L1 in 9 cases, L2 in 12 cases, and L4 in 2 cases. The effectiveness was evaluated with visual analogue scale (VAS), the Cobb’s angle, and the anterior vertebral height. Results The operation was completed successfully in all cases, without serious postoperative complication. Cement leakage occurred in 11 cases (35.5%), including 3 cases at the anterior vertebral edge, 4 cases at the lateral vertebra, and 4 cases at the puncture tunnel. All the cases were followed up 6-15 months (mean, 11 months). The mean fracture healing time was 11.5 weeks (range, 8-12 weeks). VAS score was decreased from 8.1 ± 1.2 preoperatively to 2.5 ± 0.6 at 3 months postoperatively and to 2.3 ± 0.8 at last follow-up; the Cobb’s angle was improved from (30.2 ± 5.3)° to (21.3 ± 3.6)° and (23.5 ± 3.8)° respectively; and the anterior vertebral height was increased from (13.98 ± 4.62) mmto (22.03 ± 4.93) mm and (22.56 ± 4.34) mm respectively. There were significant differences in VAS, the Cobb’s angle, and the anterior vertebral height between pre- and post-operation (P lt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference between 3 months postoperatively and last follow-up (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion PKP is effective for osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures, which can rel ieve pain effectively, correct kyphosis, and prevent collapse of vertebra.