Bone changes in alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. A histomorphometric study.
The effects of alcoholic liver cirrhosis on the calcium, calciotropic hormones (parathyroid hormone and 25 hydroxy vitamin D) and testosterone were examined in twenty men. A transiliac bone biopsy was performed in each patient. A double tetracycline labeling was done in 17 patients. Radiological signs of osteoporosis (crushed vertebrae and rib fractures) were rarely observed but a low trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) was consistently encountered (BV/TV = 14.2 +/- 4.6; normal 18.8 +/- 4.8; p less than .001). Osteomalacic signs were never observed in spite of very low calcium and 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels in the blood. Increased osteoclastic eroded surfaces (ES/BS = 8.1 +/- 5.2; normal 3.7 +/- 1.1; p less than .001) were not related with an hyperparathyroidism but a significant correlation was found with testosterone levels (r = .45; p less than .05). Histodynamic measurements indicate a drastically decreased osteoblastic activity with a very low bone formation rate (BFR/BS = .009 +/- .001; normal .0175 +/- .0125; p less than .001). This could explain the net increase of eroded surfaces and that osteomalacia cannot be observed even in the presence of profound calcium and vitamin D changes in alcoholics.
Chappard
D
D
LBTO - Laboratoire de Biologie du Tissu Osseux Faculté de Médecine, Saint Etienne, France.
Plantard
B
B
Fraisse
H
H
Palle
S
S
Alexandre
C
C
Riffat
G
G
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone