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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone Density in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Laya Ekhlaspour1, Charumathi Baskaran2, Karen Joanie Campoverde3
1Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 6c, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. lekhlaspour@mgh.harvard.edu.
Abstract:
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk for fracture, and peri-pubertal boys with ASD have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than controls. Data are lacking regarding BMD in older adolescents with ASD. We compared BMD using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 9 adolescents/young adults with ASD against 9 typically developing matched controls. Patients with ASD and controls were excluded if they had other underlying conditions that may affect bone. Compared to controls, patients with ASD had (i) lower femoral neck and hip BMD Z-scores, and (ii) lower spine, femoral neck and hip height adjusted BMD Z-scores even after controlling for BMI. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology will be key to developing therapies to improve BMD and reduce fracture risk.
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