Bone Mineral Density at the Distal Femur and Proximal Tibia and Related Factors During the First Year of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to disuse osteoporosis, making bones more fragile. The distal femur (DF) and proximal tibia (PT) are particularly vulnerable to fractures after SCI. This study aimed to understand how bone mineral density (BMD) changes in the DF and PT during the first year after SCI, and what factors might be related to these changes. Researchers compared BMD in SCI patients to healthy individuals and looked at factors like age, vitamin D levels, and gender to see how they affect bone density in the DF and PT.

• 1
  BMD at the DF, PT, and hip were significantly lower in SCI patients than in controls.
• 2
  The percentage difference in BMD between SCI patients and controls was greater at the DF and PT than at the hip, suggesting faster bone loss in the legs.
• 3
  Age and 25OHD (a form of vitamin D) influenced DF BMD, while age and gender influenced PT BMD.