Osteoporosis Flashcards
What happens if there are imbalances in the collagen and mineral components of bone?
These can impair bone quality leading to reduced bone strength
What is bone made up of?
Collagen and mineral complements
Is bone mass more genetic or modifiable?
Mainly genetic (60-80%)
What are examples of modifiable factors regarding bone mass?
Nutritional intake e.g. Calcium, vitamin D, protein
Exercise
Lifestyle (smoking, hormonal status and certain diseases and medications)
What is the role of bone?
Support and function
Blood cell formation
Site of muscle attachment
Main store of calcium, phosphorous and carbonate (role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis)
What is the bone remodelling process?
Begins with bone resorption by the conversion of quiescent bone surface into a bone resorptive surface.
This conversion transmits signals to osteoclasts and osteoblasts on the bones surface.
What is the role of osteoclasts?
Resorb bone matrix by creating a resorption pit.
They end their function with apoptosis followed by coupling signals sent to osteoblasts
What is the role of osteoblasts?
Synthesise bone matrix which undergoes mineralisation.
Mature osteoblasts produce oestroprotegerin which binds to RANK to stop bone resorption
What regulates bone remodelling ?
Various cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-11
Calcitrophic hormones like 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D, calcitonin and oestrogen
What is RANK ligand?
This is expressed by osteoBlasts which interact with the RANK receptors on osteoClasts
What is the role of osteoprotegerin?
Secreted by osteoblasts
Naturally inhibits RANK ligand induced activation of RANK.
In post menopausal women with an oestrogen activity there is an overexpression of RANKL activity which overrides the natural inhibitory activity of osteoprotegerin.
What is osteoporosis?
A complex disorder characterised by imbalance of bone remodelling process governed by the intricate interactions between various hormonal factors, cytokines and novel regulatory system (RANK/RANKL/OPG)
Bone loss occurs where bone resorption exceeds bone formation resulting in a disequilibrium in bone remodelling resulting in lower bone mineral density and bone quality which culminates in bone fracture.
What is the epidemiology of osteoporosis?
Prevalence increases with age (4% in women 50-59 years, 44% in women of 80 years and older)
Predominantly affects white postmenopausal women, (but men, premenopausal and children can develop this condition too)
Most women are hospitalised with a fracture due to osteoporosis than through breast cancer
What are the primary causes of osteoporosis?
These are age related and although they can occur in both sexes, women are at a greater risk especially after menopause
These factors are Idiopathic - arising spontaneously with an unknown cause
What are the different categories of osteoporosis?
Postmenopausal osteoporosis
Male osteoporosis
Age related osteoporosis
What is post menopausal osteoporosis?
Mainly due to loss in ovarian hormone production, especially oestrogen
Oestrogen deficiency increases the proliferation, differentiation and activation of new osteoclasts and prolongs survival of mature osteoclasts. The number of remodelling sites increases and resorption pits are deeper.
Significant bone density is lost and bone architecture is compromised
Trabecular bone is most susceptible, leading to vertebral and wrist fractures
What is male osteoporosis?
Men are generally lower risk for developing osteoporosis me osteoporotic fractures due to larger bone size, greater peak bone mass and fewer falls.
Ageing appears to be the common factor in osteoporosis development in men
What is a age related osteoporosis?
Occurs mainly as a result of our mom lens, calcium and vitamin d deficiencies leading to celebrated bone turnover rate in combination with reduced osteoblast bone formation
What are the secondary causes of osteoporosis?
These can arise at any age and affect men and women equally
They arise from chronic predisposing medical problems or disease
Or prolonged medication use such as glucocorticoids
What are the main medical problems that can cause osteoporosis?
Hyperthyroidism Diabetes mellitus Hyperparathyroidism Hypogonadism Malabsorption syndromes
What are the common medications that can cause osteoporosis?
Glucocorticoids Phenytoin Carbamazepine Levothyroxine Heparin Lithium Tamoxifem PPIs Furosemide SSRIs
Why does glucocorticoid therapy cause osteoporosis?
Glucocorticoid therapy causes decreased proliferation and differentiation as well as enhanced apoptosis of osteoblasts
It also increases resorption by increasing RANKL and decreasing OPG
It can reduce oestrogen and testosterone concentration by decreasing Ca absorption and increasing urinary Ca output
Patients starting glucocorticoid therapy should receive at least 1500mg of Ca and 800-1200mg of vitamin D daily
What are the two main classifications of risk factors of osteoporosis?
Non modifiable
Modifiable
What are non modifiable risk factors?
Female Increased age (50years or older) Caucasian or Asian Early menopause or ovaries removed Lactose intolerance Low BMI Family history
What are the modifiable risk factors of OP?
Smoker (>20 a day)
Excess alcohol (no more than 4 standard drinks a day)
Less than 30 mins of physical activity/day
Less than 30 mins of outdoors in sunlight/day
High caffeine intake
Low Ca diet
Long term use of certain medications including steroids and anticonvulsants
What are the clinical presentations of OP?
Common fractures: vertebrae, proximal femur and distal radius
2/3 of the back fractures are asymptomatic
The remainder present with mod to severe back pain that radiates down a leg
Kyphosis
What is kyphosis?
The curving of the spine leading to hunchback or slouching with posture.
Can experience respiratory problems due to the compression of the thoracic region
How is OP diagnosed?
OP is usually asymptomatic until fractures appear.
Fractures can result in pain, deformity and disability
Diagnose with measurement of BMD by dual energy X-ray absorptiometey (DEXA scan)
A T score is obtained which compares the patients measured BMD to the BMD of. Health young, sex matched white reference population
The T score is the number of SDs roar mom the mean of the reference population so
If Tscore > -1 = normal bone mass
- 1 to -2.4 = osteopenia
- 2.5 = osteoporosis
What are the desired outcome so f osteoporosis?
Prevention is the primary goal
Optimising skeletal development and peak bone mass in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood will reduce future incidence of osteoporosis
Once osteopenia or osteoporosis develops objective is to stabilise or improve bone mass and strength and prevent fractures.
Go as in a patients who have already suffered osteoporotic fractures include reducing future falls and fractures, improving functional capacity, reducing pain and deformity, improving quality of life.
What are the pharmacological treatment options?
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation Calcitriol BisphosphonTes Raloxifen or Demosumab Calcitonin Teriparatide HRT Strontium ranelate
Thiazide diuretics
Fluroide
Statins
Vitamin K
Why are calcium and vitamin D supplementation used?
Intended to prevent OP and reduce incidence of fracture
Should be advised with every line of treatment
How much calcium should be supplemented?
1-1.5g/day orally
Treat constipation with water intake