Metabolic Bone Disease Flashcards
What are the functions of osteoblasts?
Build new bone matrix by working as a group
Move over matrix and make protein called osteoid (contains collagen)
Some osteoclasts become trapped in the bone are transformed into osteocytes
What are the functions of osteoclasts?
Breakdown bone
What is the function of PTH?
Stimulates the action of osteoclasts when low Ca in blood
When does PTH peak?
Middle of night, afternoon
Fluctuates minute to minutie
What does calcitonin do?
Slows activity of osteoclasts
Where is most Ca stored?
90% in bone
What other hormones impact the bone?
Oestrogen in females
Testosterone in men
What occurs during weight bearing exercise to the bone?
Bone production exceeds resorption and bones thicken
What other hormone increases bone mass?
GH
What hormone decreases bone mass?
Cortisol
What does RANKL do?
Allows T cells to bind to RANK protein on osteoclasts and activate them
What happens to vitamin D in the body?
UVB produces vit D
7-dihydrocholesterol is transformed by light into inactive vitamin D
Hydroxyl group is added to 7HDC in liver - this is the main storage form of vit D and what you should measure
Another hydroxyl group is added to the liver to make active vit D
Which group of people have less vitamin D?
Older people
People with darker skin - melanocytes absorb UVB so the paler you are, the less sunlight you need to make vit D
What two organs must be in tact to produce vit D?
Liver and kidney
What is the primary action of active vitamin D?
Absorb Ca from the gut
What is the pathophysiology of paget’s disease of the bone?
Localised disorder of bone turnover
Increase resorption, followed by increased bone formation, but replaced bone is v. weak and disorganised
Disorganised bone is bigger, less compact, more vascular and more susceptible to fracture and deformity
What is the aetiology of Paget’s?
Strong genetic component (most purely genetic in origin)
15-30 familial
Loci of SQSTMI
Anglo-saxon origins
Environmental trigger - possibly chronic viral infection within osteoclast
What are the symptoms of Paget’s?
> 40yo patient
BONE PAIN
Occasionally bone deformity, excessive heat production over pagetic bone or by neurological complications, e.g. sensorineural deafness (due to compression of vestibulocochlear nerve) or conductive hearing loss (due to anklyosis of the ossicles)
Tends to stay in place it first manifests
What bony deformities are common in Paget’s?
Bowing of legs
Skull enlargement
What are the biochemical findings in Paget’s?
Normal PTH
Normal phosphate and Ca
Raised ALP
What is ALP a marker of?
OSTEOBLASTIC activity and also cholestasis
Give a stereotypical history of someone with Paget’s
50yo lady presents with bone pain, localised heat, bony deformity, hearing loss
Normal PTH, Ca, phos, raised ALP
What can rarely develop in pagetic bone?
Osteosarcoma
What do bone scans show in paget’s?
Dense areas
How do you Rx Paget’s?
Don’t Rx if asymptomatic unless in skull
IV bisphonates therapy (e.g. one off zoledronic acid infusion)
What is ricket’s/osteomalacia?
Severe nutritional vit D/ca deficiency that causes insufficient mineralisation & thus rickets in a growing child/osteomalacia in an adult when the epiphyseal growth plates have fused
What other organs in impaired in ricket’s/osteomalacia?
Muscle function impaired in low vit D states
What biochemical findings would you see in ricket’s/osteomalacia?
Low vit D, low Ca and phosphate, high ALP and PTH