title: The ability of lumbar spine DXA and phalanx QUS to detect previous fractures in young thalassemic patients with hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and hepatitis-B: A 2-year subgroup analysis from the Taranto Area of Apulia Region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoporosis is a leading cause of morbidity in patients affected by β-thalassemia major or intermediate; we aimed to assess the association between demineralization observed in young thalassemic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 88 patients with β-thalassemia were recruited at Microcitemia Center of Taranto Hospital under the Prevention Osteoporosis and Fractures research project from 2008 to 2010. All the patients were screened with both dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS). T score and Z score values were obtained for each subject.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of demineralization was 84% with DXA and 70% with QUS, whereas normality was found in 16% of patients screened with DXA and in 30% of cases with QUS. Hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis-B, and the presence of previous fragility fractures were significantly associated with the demineralization status (lower T scores values) both with DXA and QUS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm that DXA and QUS examinations are both useful for detecting bone demineralization in thalassemic patients.
authors: Euro Mediterranean Biomedical Scientific Institute, Brindisi, Italy. alberto_argentiero@libero.it
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Argentiero
authors: Cosimo
authors: C
authors: Neglia
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Peluso
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: di Rosa
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Ferrarese
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Di Tanna
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Caiaffa
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Benvenuto
authors: Alexandru
authors: A
authors: Cozma
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Chitano
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Agnello
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Paladini
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Baldi
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Distante
authors: Prisco
authors: P
authors: Piscitelli
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005260:Female; D050278:Finger Phalanges / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000150:complications; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D007558:Italy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*
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