title: Effect of weight-bearing activities on bone mineral density in spinal cord injured patients during the period of the first two years.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective study on patients with spinal cord injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) in various body regions of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and its dependence on weight bearing activities during 2 years post injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  BMD of the whole body was measured in patients with SCI. Baseline measurement was performed in 6-16 weeks after SCI, the second and the third-respectively 12 and 24 months after injury. Fifty-four subjects were selected and divided into two groups: standing and non-standing. From these groups 27 pairs were made according to gender, age and height.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was found to be a well-marked decrease in BMD values for lower extremities, but there was no significant difference between paraplegic and tetraplegic patients 1 and 2 year after injury. Leg BMD reduced by 19.62% (95% CI, 17-22%) in the standing group and by 24% (95% CI, 21-27%) in non-standing group during the first year. Two years after SCI patients in standing group had significantly higher leg BMD-1.018 g/cm(2) (95% CI, 0.971-1.055 g/cm(2)) than in the non-standing group-0.91 g/cm(2) (95% CI, 0.872-0.958 g/cm(2)) (P<or=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCI patients who performed daily standing >or=1 h and not less than 5 days per week, had significantly higher BMD in the lower extremities after 2 years in comparison to those patients who did not perform standing.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. vidmantas.alekna@ekmi.vu.lt
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alekna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamulaitiene
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sinevicius
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juocevicius
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult