title: Ultrasound densitometry of the os calcis in patients with hemiparesis following a cerebrovascular accident.
abstract: Ultrasound densitometry has been measured in the os calcis of 31 stroke patients (14 women, 17 men), ages 46-87 years, to determine whether bone density is lower than expected for normal subjects at this site, and to investigate whether or not the stroke side has lower values than the nonstroke side. We have also measured a large control group of 268(39 men, 228 women) subjects who showed similar values to other published data. Immobility is a known precursor to bone loss and so we also compared ultrasound Stiffness Index with an index of mobility in 22 of the stroke patients. In healthy subjects, ultrasound densitometry (measured as Stiffness) fell by 25% in females from 48-52 to 68-72 years. Stiffness (expressed as z-score) in patients with stroke was low in females (P < 0.02) but not in males, but both stroke side and nonstroke side were equally low. Stiffness did not decline with time since stroke, but did correlate with mobility after stroke, on the stroke (r = 0.73) and nonstroke (r = 0.62) side. The data suggest that stroke patients, particularly females, have low bone density before the stroke event. The greater ultrasound Stiffness with increasing mobility after stroke may suggest that active rehabilitation after stroke may produce denser bone.
authors.affiliation: Charles Salt Research Centre, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7AG UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haddaway
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Davie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D010291:Paresis / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D014463:Ultrasonography