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Bone quantitative ultrasound and nutritional status in severely handicapped institutionalized children and
1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Meyer Children's Hospital, Israel.
Insights
Quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) revealed that approximately one-fifth of institutionalized children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit poor bone status. Factors like female gender, stature, age, and fracture history are linked to reduced bone quality in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Bone Health Assessment
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently experience pathologic fractures.
- Quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) offers a radiation-free method to assess bone quality and fracture risk.
- This study investigates bone status in institutionalized children and adolescents with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate bone status in handicapped institutionalized children and adolescents using QUS.
- To identify factors correlated with bone status in this specific population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 87 institutionalized patients with CP.
- Speed of Sound (SOS) measurements at the distal radius and midshaft tibia using an Omnisense 7000S analyser.
- Comprehensive evaluation of nutritional, demographic, and clinical characteristics.
Main Results:
- 45% of patients had bone SOS below -1 SD, and 21% had bone SOS below -2.5 SD.
- Female gender and stature correlated with radius SOS.
- Age and fracture history were negatively correlated with tibia SOS.
Conclusions:
- One-fifth of children and adolescents with CP in this cohort demonstrated poor bone status, indicated by low tibia/radius SOS.
- Female gender, stature, age, and fracture history are significant predictors of poor bone status in this population.
Background & Aims:
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have a high prevalence of pathologic fractures. Bone quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) has emerged as a radiation-free method for the assessment of bone quality and fracture risk. In this study, we applied QUS technique in order to investigate bone status in handicapped institutionalized children and adolescents.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 87 handicapped institutionalized patients. Measurements of the velocity of ultrasound wave, speed of sound (SOS), at distal radius and midshaft tibia, were performed using Omnisense 7000S analyser (Sunlight Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel). In addition, all the participants had a thorough evaluation of nutritional status, demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results:
Forty-five of patients had either radius or tibia bone SOS lower than -1 SD, and 21% had either radius or tibia bone SOS lower than -2.5 SD. Using step-wise regression analysis, female gender (P=0.003) and stature (P=0.008) were correlated with radius SOS. Age (P=0.03) and fracture history (P=0.04) were negatively correlated with tibia SOS.
Conclusion:
In this group of children and adolescents with CP one-fifth had poor bone status as suggested by low tibia/radius SOS assessed by QUS. Female gender, stature, age and fracture history were significantly correlated with poor bone status.
