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Published on: January 29, 2018
Abnormal changes of bone metabolism markers with age in children with cerebral palsy
Wen Xing1, Lin Liang1, Na Dong1
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
Insights
Bone metabolism indicators differ in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Key markers like total procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (TPINP) and beta-crosslaps (β-CTX) showed significant variations compared to healthy children, varying with age but not disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Metabolic Bone Disease
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with impaired bone health, including low bone mineral density and increased fracture risk.
- Understanding bone metabolism disorders is crucial for managing CP's long-term health implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between bone metabolism indicators and children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
- To compare serum levels of specific bone turnover markers between children with CP and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 139 children (75 with CP, 64 controls) across three age groups (0-7 years).
- Serum levels of total procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (TPINP), N-MID osteocalcin (OC), beta-crosslaps (β-CTX), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were measured.
- Children with CP were classified by clinical subtypes.
Main Results:
- Serum levels of TPINP and 25-OHD decreased with age; β-CTX and PTH increased with age.
- Children with CP exhibited higher TPINP and OC levels (specific age groups) and lower β-CTX and PTH levels (specific age groups) compared to controls.
- No significant differences in bone metabolism indicators were found among CP clinical subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Bone turnover markers and indicators of bone metabolism significantly differ between children with CP and healthy children.
- Age influences these bone metabolism indicators in children, but disease severity does not correlate with their levels in CP.
- These findings highlight distinct metabolic profiles in children with CP, suggesting potential targets for intervention.
Abstract:
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a broad range of diseases with permanent and nonprogressive motor impairments, carrying a high cost for both the individual and the society. The characteristics of low bone mineral density and high risk of fractures suggest that bone metabolism disorders are present in CP. This study aims to investigate the association between indicators of bone metabolism and children with CP. A total of 139 children (75 children with CP and 64 healthy controls) were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were divided into three age groups (0-2 years, 2.1-4 years, and 4.1-7 years). All children with CP were diagnosed according to clinical criteria and furtherly divided into clinical subtypes. The levels of total procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (TPINP), N-MID osteocalcin (OC), beta-crosslaps (β-CTX), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the serum were measured with corresponding detection kits according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serum levels of TPINP and 25-OHD were lower with older age, whereas β-CTX and PTH were higher with older age. In the CP group, TPINP (age 0-2 years and 2.1-4 years) and OC (age 2.1-4 years) levels were higher, while β-CTX (age 2.1-4 years and 4.1-7 years) and PTH (age 2.1-4 years) values were lower than the control group. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of these indicators among the CP subgroups with different clinical characteristics. Our study shows that bone turnover markers, indicators of bone metabolism, in children with CP differ significantly from healthy controls. The indicators we studied changed with age, and they did not correlate with disease severity.
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