BoneKEy Reports | BoneKEy Watch
Reduced mineralization may contribute to osteoporotic spinal fractures
DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2012.157
Matrix mineralization was assessed during vertebral fracture healing in patients treated for osteoporotic fractures of the spine, who were treated by kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty. This study revealed that all patients with this type of fracture had significantly altered bone mineralization density distribution at all stages of healing compared to normal controls.
Using quantitative backscattered electron imaging, the researchers observed significantly different levels of mineralization between different groups of patients, who were classified as exhibiting early and late healing after vertebral bone biospies were examined histologically. Mean matrix mineralization was 5% lower than historical normal values in the early healing group, suggesting that this may have played a contributory role in their fragility fracture.
Not unexpectedly, mineralization was even lower in the late healing group, with patients showing a mean matrix mineralization 16% lower than historical controls. Those showing late healing who had received treatment with bisphosphonates (BPs) before their spinal fracture showed no difference in mean matrix mineralization compared to untreated patients, indicating that BPs do not inhibit the fracture healing process.
Editor's comment: The mineralization values from biopsies found in early stages of repair suggest that fragility fractures, long associated with reduced bone mass, might also be related to reduced mineralization.
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