title: Bone loss from the hand in women following distal forearm fracture.
abstract: Bone loss occurs after distal forearm fracture, but it is unclear if this bone loss is fully recovered. We designed a cross-sectional study to evaluate the time course of the bone loss from the hand after distal forearm fracture. We identified 40 women who had a fracture of the distal forearm within the previous 4.5 years. Their ages ranged from 42 to 81 (mean 64 years) and time since fracture 6 to 54 (mean 28 months). These were compared with 95 women (mean age 67, range 57 to 80 years) from a population-based cohort. Lumbar spine (LS) and hand bone mineral density (BMD) were measured in all subjects using a Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer. Ultrasound of the fingers of both hands was measured in the forearm fracture group using a DBM Sonic 1200 R model. Compared to controls, LS BMD was decreased by 6.4% (p<0.001), non-fractured hand by 3.2% (p<0.001) and the fractured hand by 6.1% (p<0.001) in the forearm fracture group. The mean difference in bone density between the fractured and non-fractured hand was 0.0207 g/cm2, the average value for the non-fractured hand being 0.304 g/cm2. The decement in hand BMD was equivalent to 6.2% (p<0.0001). The difference in hand BMD between the fractured and non-fractured side was greatest when the time since fracture was short; there was no further difference in hand BMD after 2 years. Ultrasound showed a mean difference of 18.7 m/s in amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) with the average value being 1893 m/s. A 1.0% decrease was observed in the fractured hand AD-SoS (p<0.05). A strong relationship was observed between AD-SoS and BMD in both hands (r = 0.70, p<0.001). We conclude that distal forearm fracture results in a significant decrease in hand BMD that is partially reversible. The decrease in hand BMD is reflected in the ultrasound properties of the finger phalanx.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ingle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eastell
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003100:Colles' Fracture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography