Bone mineral density in children with cerebral palsy.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the severity of and factors related to osteopenia in children with cerebral palsy (CP).


METHODS
Bone mineral density (BMD), calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25OHD3) concentrations were determined in 24 children with CP (15 ambulant, nine non-ambulant), aged between 10 months and 12 years (mean (+/-SD) 4.1+/-2.9 years). These vaules were compared with data obtained from a control group.


RESULTS
Adjusted mean BMD values were lower in the patient group than in controls (P<0.05). However, there was no difference between BMD values of ambulant and non-ambulant patients. The Ca and P levels of the patient group were significantly higher than those of controls (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that BMD was decreased in all children with CP, but to a greater extent in non-ambulant children with CP, and immobilization is the major effective factor on bone mineralization.
Tasdemir
H A
HA
Department of Pediatric Neurology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
Buyukavci
M
M
Akcay
F
F
Polat
P
P
Yildiran
A
A
Karakelleoglu
C
C
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010710:Phosphates; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium