Untitled Deck Flashcards
How does estrogen deficiency affect bone health?
Estrogen deficiency leads to bone loss, particularly affecting trabecular bone, increasing the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Why is attaining peak bone mass important?
Attaining peak bone mass in the late teens to early twenties helps offset natural bone loss associated with aging and menopause, reducing osteoporosis risk.
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by compromised bone strength, making bones more susceptible to fractures.
What are the diagnostic T-score ranges for bone health?
• Normal: T-score ≥ -1.0
• Osteopenia (low bone mass): T-score between -1.0 and -2.5
• Osteoporosis: T-score ≤ -2.5
How does estrogen maintain bone health?
Estrogen maintains bone density by suppressing bone turnover, promoting osteoclast apoptosis, and protecting osteoblasts from glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis.
What are osteoclasts, and how does estrogen affect them?
Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells. Estrogen reduces their activity and promotes their apoptosis, limiting bone resorption.
What are osteoblasts, and how does estrogen affect them?
Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells. Estrogen protects them from apoptosis and supports bone formation and maintenance.
What role do Bone Multicenter Units (BMUs) play in bone health?
BMUs are sites of continuous bone remodeling, where old bone is resorbed, and new bone is formed. Estrogen ensures a balance between these processes.
What type of bone is most affected by estrogen deficiency?
Trabecular bone, such as the spine, is more affected than cortical bone (long bones).
How does estrogen affect the balance of bone remodeling?
Estrogen maintains equilibrium in bone remodeling by balancing bone resorption and formation.
Why is osteoporosis a significant concern for postmenopausal women?
Postmenopausal women are at increased risk of osteoporosis due to accelerated bone loss from estrogen deficiency, leading to fractures.
What is the primary mechanism of estrogen in reducing bone resorption?
Estrogen decreases osteoclast activity by promoting their apoptosis, reducing bone resorption.
How is Bone Mass Density (BMD) assessed?
BMD is measured using T-scores to diagnose bone health as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic, enabling targeted treatment.
How does estrogen affect osteocytes?
Estrogen decreases apoptosis in osteocytes, supporting their role in bone remodeling.
What is the effect of estrogen on osteoblasts?
Estrogen reduces apoptosis, oxidative stress, and NF-κB activity in osteoblasts, promoting bone formation and maintaining bone density.
How does estrogen influence osteoclast activity?
Estrogen increases apoptosis and decreases RANKL-induced differentiation in osteoclasts, reducing bone resorption.
What role do T-cells play in estrogen’s effect on bone?
Estrogen modulates T-cell activity, influencing bone cell function and helping maintain bone balance.
What are the key changes in bone remodeling due to estrogen deficiency?
Estrogen deficiency causes increased bone remodeling, prolonged resorption, shortened bone formation, and increased osteoclast recruitment, leading to bone loss.
What is the standard diagnostic tool for osteoporosis?
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scans are the standard diagnostic tool for osteoporosis.
What are the T-score ranges for normal bone density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis?
• Normal: T-score ≥ -1.0
• Osteopenia: T-score between -1.0 and -2.5
• Osteoporosis: T-score ≤ -2.5
How does a T-score reflect bone health?
A T-score indicates the number of standard deviations from the peak bone mass of a young adult, showing the degree of bone loss.
How is the response to osteoporosis treatment monitored?
Biochemical assays measure bone resorption and formation markers in blood and urine to assess treatment effectiveness.
What serum markers are used to evaluate osteoporosis treatment?
Serum markers measure changes in bone turnover over time, helping monitor treatment response.
Why is estrogen critical for bone health?
Estrogen maintains balance in bone remodeling by supporting osteocytes, promoting osteoblast activity, and reducing osteoclast-induced bone resorption.
What happens to bone remodeling in the absence of estrogen?
Without estrogen, bone resorption increases while bone formation decreases, leading to net bone loss and increased osteoporosis risk.
Why is DEXA the gold standard for osteoporosis diagnosis?
DEXA accurately measures bone mass and provides T-scores to classify bone health, allowing for early detection and management.
What is the FRAX tool used for?
The FRAX tool calculates the 10-year risk of osteoporotic fractures based on various risk factors.
Which age group is at the highest risk for osteoporosis?
Individuals aged 50-90 years are at the highest risk.
How does family history influence osteoporosis risk?
A parental history of fragility fractures, such as hip fractures, increases osteoporosis risk.
Which gender has a higher risk of osteoporosis?
Female sex is associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis.
How does body weight affect osteoporosis risk?
Lower body weight contributes to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
How does bone mineral density (BMD) influence fracture risk?
Low femoral neck BMD is a significant risk factor for osteoporotic fractures.
Why are previous fractures a risk factor for osteoporosis?
A history of prior fragility fractures increases the likelihood of future fractures.
How does smoking affect osteoporosis risk?
Current tobacco smoking is a modifiable risk factor that increases the risk of osteoporosis.
How does alcohol intake contribute to osteoporosis risk?
Consuming more than 3 units of alcohol daily increases the risk of fractures.
Give an example of 1 unit of alcohol.
Examples include 1 glass of beer (285 ml), 1 medium glass of wine (120 ml), or 1 measure of spirits (30 ml).
