Use of bone age for evaluating bone density in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A preliminary report

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) exhibit low bone mineral density and increased fracture risk. Because glucocorticoid therapy results in delayed puberty and short stature, it is important to account for delayed skeletal development when interpreting patients' bone mineral density.

Twelve glucocorticoid-treated patients with DMD were evaluated by dual x-ray absorptiometry scans and wrist x-rays to estimate bone density and bone age, respectively. Z-scores were determined on the basis of chronological age. Each patient was assigned a "corrected" birth date that was calculated according to bone age, and a bone-age-corrected z-score was determined.

Z-scores adjusted for chronological age were lower than those adjusted for bone age.

We suggest the use of bone age as an alternative to chronological age for analysis of bone mineral density in glucocorticoid-treated patients with DMD. Additional research is required to determine the optimal method to predict fracture risk in this patient group. Muscle Nerve 59:422-425, 2019.