Fracture through the Ages Flashcards

1
Q

Define bone strength.

A

The ability of bone to resist fracture

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2
Q

What factors contribute to bone strength?

A

Density

Structure

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3
Q

What method has been used for diagnosing osteoporosis and what are the limitations of this method?

A

DEXA scans

This gives a reading of bone mineral density (BMD) but it doesn’t tell you anything about the bone structure

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4
Q

Describe the effects of oestrogen on osteoclasts.

A

Oestrogen stimulates apoptosis in osteoclasts

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5
Q

What are the two main divisions of bone composition?

A

Cell (10% of volume)

Matrix (90%)

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6
Q

What are the two subsets of bone matrix and what falls undereach?

A

Organic – collagen, non-collagenous proteins, mucopolysaccharides

Inorganic – hydroxyapatite crystals (calcium and phosphorus)

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7
Q

What are the four types of bone cells?

A

Osteoprogenitor cells
Osteocytes
Osteoblasts
Osteoclasts

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8
Q

What is the role of osteoprogenitor cells?

A

These differentiate into the other types of bone cell

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9
Q

What is the role of osteocytes?

A

They are involved in bone homeostasis

Stimulate the activity of osteoblasts and clasts depending on the bone load

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10
Q

How often does bone normally turnover?

A

120 days

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11
Q

Describe normal bone turnover.

A

The osteoclast will dissolve away the bone

Preosteoblasts will move in and differentiate into osteoblasts

Osteoblasts lay down matrix

Matrix gets ossifed by hydroxyapetite

In a healthy person, the osteoblasts will lay down more bone than the osteoclasts dissolved (so you don’t get any bone loss)

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12
Q

How is bone turnover different in an elderly person?

A

There is less apoptosis of osteoclasts and the resorption pits are very big and don’t get filled in by osteoblasts so you get loss of bone

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13
Q

How do bisphosphonates work?

A

Bisphosphonates are absorbed into the bone during remodelling.

When osteoclats dissolve the bone they release the bisphosphonates

This is absorbed by osteoclasts

They damage their cytoskeleton so that the osteoblasts lose their RUFFLED BORDER, and without this they can’t function

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14
Q

What is a major problem with bisphosphonate use?

A

Atypical fatigue fractures

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15
Q

What causes the major problem with bisphosphonates?

A

They reduce bone remodelling (which replaces old and damaged bone) so you get premature ageing of the bone

Furthermore, microcracks form in the bones due to day-to-day use and if these microcracks are not filled in by bone remodelling they will eventually join up and cause stress fractures

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16
Q

What is the half-life of alendronate?

A

Around 10 years

17
Q

What new drug has come onto the market that has a similar action to bisphosphonates but with a shorter half-life?

A

Denusomab (half-life = 6 months)

An antibody to RANK-L

18
Q

Describe the action of RANKL.

A

RANKL binds to RANK receptors on macrophages and promotes their maturation to osteoclasts

19
Q

In a healthy person, what protein is responsible for regulating the bone remodelling process and how does it do this?

A

Osteoprotegrin

It prevents the binding to RANKL to the RANK receptor (this is what denusomab also does)

20
Q

State Wolff’s Law.

A

Bone remodels according to the stresses applied to it

21
Q

At what age is peak bone mass reached?

A

30-40 years

22
Q

State some other factors that contribute to bone mass

A

Genetics
Nutrition
Vitamin D
Exercise

23
Q

What are the five stages of fracture healing?

A
Haematoma  
Inflammation  
Soft Callous  
Hard Callous  
Remodelling
24
Q

Which type of collagen is deposited in the soft callous?

A

Type 2 collagen

25
Q

What prevents mineralisation in the soft callous?

A

Proteoglycans

26
Q

What happens in stage 3 of fracture healing?

A

The soft callous is invaded by blood vessels

Chondroblasts break down the calcified callous

It is replaced by osteoid (type I collagen) produced by osteoblasts

Osteoid calcifies to form woven bone

27
Q

What happens in stage 4 of fracture healing?

A

Woven bone remodels to lamellar bone

It is shaped relative to the load (Wolff’s law)

Medullar canal reforms

28
Q

Name four types of fracture and how they’re caused

A

Spiral - twisting
Oblique - direct compression
Butterfly fragment - bending
Transverse - pulling

29
Q

What type of fracture can occur in the bones of children due to their plasticity?

A

Greenstick fractures

One cortex could break but the other cortex could bend but stay intact

30
Q

What are osteocytes?

A

Osteoblasts that become stuck in the bone when it is being remodelled

31
Q

Where are osteocytes found?

A

In the lacuna of bone

These are connected by Canaliculi

32
Q

How do osteoclasts sense bone load?

A

Have projections into fluid filled canaliculi

Load is applied to the bone:

If the bone structure is too dense for the load then there will be low pressure in the fluid and the cytes signal for osteoclasts to thin the bone

If the bone strucutre is too weak for the load then the pressure in the liquid will be higher and the cytes will signal to blasts to strengthen the bone

33
Q

What are the results from a DEXA scan?

A

Compares your BMD to that of the average healthy adult

If more than 2.5 SD from mean - osteopeosis

34
Q

Why might denusomab be favoured over bisphosphonates?

A

Bisphosphonates last for over a decade in the bone

denusomab has a half life of 6 months