title: Significant and persistent loss of bone mineral density in the femoral neck after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: long-term follow-up of a prospective study.
abstract: Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) but the effects of autologous SCT (autoSCT) are less well characterized. We performed a prospective study of BMD changes and its determinants in 44 SCT recipients (38 auto and six allo; 30 peripheral blood SCT and 14 bone marrow transplantation). Serial measurements of BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck were performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, and spinal radiographs were performed at baseline and 12 months. Mean baseline BMD values at the femoral neck and spine were within normal limits. At 3 months, there was a significant decline of BMD at the femoral neck (P = 0.011) and a non-significant trend towards reduction at the spine. BMD loss persisted for up to 2 years at the femoral neck (P = 0.005), but values returned to baseline at the spine. Reflecting the rapid initial decline in BMD, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (a serum marker of bone formation) showed a significant initial decline at 1 month but had recovered to pretransplant levels by 3 months. No new fractures were detected at 1 year post transplant. Sex, diagnosis, use of total body irradiation, stem cell source and type of graft (auto versus allo) did not significantly predict BMD change over the first 12 months. In conclusion, significant and persistent bone loss at the femoral neck was demonstrated in this group of patients following stem cell transplantation. The implications of these findings for future fracture risk require further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Maher K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: Sarath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lekamwasam
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Inman
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaptoge
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sizer
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Bearcroft
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: Juliet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Compston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013131:Spine; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous