title: Heterogeneity of growth of bone in children at the spine, radius and total skeleton.
abstract: Bone mineral content (BMC), density (BMD), and size were measured in 202 subjects ranging from 3 to 25 years of age (106 males and 96 females), half of which were children and half young adults. BMC and BMD were measured using single photon absorptiometry at the proximal and distal radius and dual photon absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and the total body. In the pre-pubertal age group (3-9 yrs), no differences were found in BMC nor BMD between males and females at any site. Growth of bone during puberty was characterized by an increase in BMC, bone size and BMD. The percent increase in BMC was greater at the lumbar spine and the total body (+200 to +390 %) than at the radius (+90 to +270 %). The increase in BMC was higher than the increase in BMD (+50 to +90 %). Overall bone growth in the total body was not reflected by changes in BMC of the appendicular skeleton. The increase in BMD was heterogeneous and was higher in the legs than in the arms. In males, the increase in BMC and size during growth was greater than in females resulting in a higher peak bone mass and size in males. The increase in BMD was similar between males and females at the distal radius, the lumbar spine and the total body, but higher at the proximal radius, the arms and the legs in males.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Metabolic Bone Disease Research Unit, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geusens
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cantatore
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Proesmans
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Emma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dequeker
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011884:Radius / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013131:Spine / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic