title: Bone fragility and collagen cross-links.
abstract: Infrared imaging analysis of iliac crest biopsy specimens from patients with osteoporotic and multiple spontaneous fractures shows significant differences in the spatial variation of the nonreducible:reducible collagen cross-links at bone-forming trabecular surfaces compared with normal bone.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although the role of BMC and bone mineral quality in determining fracture risk has been extensively studied, considerably less attention has been paid to the quality of collagen in fragile bone.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, the technique of Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) was used to determine the ratio of nonreducible:reducible cross-links, in 2- to 4-microm-thick sections, from human iliac crest biopsy specimens (N = 27) at bone-forming trabecular surfaces. The biopsy specimens were obtained from patients that had been diagnosed as high- or low-turnover osteoporosis, as well as premenopausal women <40 years of age, with normal BMD and biochemistry, who suffered multiple spontaneous fractures. The obtained values were compared with previously published analyses of trabecular bone from normal non-osteoporotic subjects (N = 14, 6 males and 8 females; age range, 51-70 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collagen cross-links distribution within the first 50 microm at forming trabecular surfaces in patients with fragile bone was markedly different compared with normal bone.
authors.affiliation: Mineralized Tissue Division, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Eleftherios P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Paschalis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shane
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lyritis
authors.forename: Grigoris
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skarantavos
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mendelsohn
authors.forename: Adele L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Boskey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000453:epidemiology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen