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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone mineral density in Marfan syndrome. A large case-control study
Bertrand Moura1, Florence Tubach, Moana Sulpice
1Rheumatology Department, Ambroise-Paré Teaching Hospital, 9, avenue Charles-de-Gaulle, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Joint Bone Spine
|October 24, 2006
Summary
Patients with Marfan syndrome exhibit reduced bone mineral density (BMD), a condition known as osteopenia, regardless of body mass index (BMI). This finding highlights a significant skeletal complication in Marfan syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Skeletal biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder affecting connective tissue.
- Bone mineral density (BMD) is a key indicator of bone health.
- Osteopenia is a condition characterized by lower-than-average bone density.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with Marfan syndrome against healthy controls.
- To investigate potential correlations between BMD and clinical factors in Marfan syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to measure BMD at the hip and wrist.
- 130 Marfan syndrome patients were compared to 72 healthy height-matched controls.
- BMD values were also compared against a normative database.
Main Results:
- Marfan syndrome patients showed significantly lower BMD at the femoral neck and wrist compared to normative data.
- BMD was significantly lower in patients compared to height-matched controls, even those with similar BMI.
- Lower BMD (<-2.5) correlated with dural ectasia in patients.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with Marfan syndrome experience significant osteopenia.
- This osteopenia is independent of body mass index (BMI).
- Osteopenia is a notable skeletal manifestation in Marfan syndrome.
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