Association of Parkinson's disease with accelerated bone loss, fractures and mortality in older men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study

Do Bone Mineral Density, Trabecular Bone Score, and Hip Structural Analysis Differ in Indian Men with Parkinson's Disease? A Case-Control Pilot Study from a Tertiary Center in Southern India

Objective

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that is characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, and gait instability. Inherent to this condition is an increased predisposition to falls and fractures. Bone health in Parkinson's disease in India has not been studied thus far. This study aimed to assess the bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS), and hip structural analysis (HSA) in Indian men with PD and compare them with matched controls.

Methodology

A case-control study done at a tertiary care center from southern India. Bone biochemistry, BMD, TBS, and HSA were assessed.

Results

Among 40 cases and 40 age, gender, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls, there was no significant difference in BMD between both groups. The mean (SD) TBS at the lumbar spine [1.349 (0.090)] was significantly (P = 0.019) lower in men with PD as compared to matched controls [1.401 (0.089)]. Among the parameters of HSA, the buckling ratios were significantly higher at the femoral neck [11.8 (2.2) vs 9.4 (2.2); P = 0.001] and inter-trochanteric region [9.4 (2.1) vs 7.8 (1.4); P = 0.002] among cases as compared to matched controls. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in this cohort of patients as was bone turnover marker indicating bone loss and a high bone turnover state.

Conclusion

A comprehensive bone health assessment comprising BMD, TBS, and HSA may be required to capture all aspects of bone strength in Indian men with PD as BMD assessment as a stand-alone tool may not suffice to obtain all information pertaining to fracture risk in these individuals.

Fracture risk in Parkinson's disease according to its severity and duration

Fracture risk was elevated in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients compared with controls in this nationwide study. Among PD patients, the risk of fracture increased linearly with PD severity, whereas no difference in fracture risk was observed according to PD duration.

INTRODUCTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) is reported to be associated with a high risk of fractures. Several studies found an association between severity and duration of PD and falls or bone mineral density, but those factors have not been considered in most previous research. The aim of this study was to determine the fracture risk in PD patients according to their disease severity and duration.

METHODS

This population-based, retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The study population included 10,333 patients with prevalent PD and 6,501,464 comparison cohort. Fracture risks according to the prevalence, severity, and duration of PD were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard methods.

RESULTS

Fracture risk was elevated in PD patients at all sites compared with controls (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-1.56 for any fracture). When comparing fracture sites, hip fractures showed the largest risk increase in PD patients (aHR 2.16, 95% CI 1.95-2.38). Among PD patients, the risk of any fracture increased linearly with PD severity and was highest in patients with severe disease (aHR 1.65, 95% CI 1.53-1.79 compared with controls). Meanwhile, no significant association was observed between PD duration and fracture risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of PD was related to an increased risk of fractures in this nationwide study, and PD severity was linearly associated with fracture risk. PD prevalence and severity should be considered when evaluating the risk factors of fracture in clinical practice.

Operative Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures in Patients With Parkinson Disease

BACKGROUND

Owing to the many unique disease characteristics of Parkinson disease (PD)-namely resting tremors, muscular rigidity, and poor bone quality-we hypothesized that this patient population would have inferior outcomes with surgical management of acute distal radius fractures (DRFs) compared with the literature available on the general population.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study performed at a single, level 1, academic center from 2001 to 2020 capturing all adult patients with an isolated, acute, and closed DRF that ultimately underwent operative treatment. International Classification of Diseases 10 codes were used to identify 30 patients for manual chart review. Several patient and fracture characteristics were accounted for and complications, reoperations, and failures of surgical intervention were recorded.

RESULTS

There was a total of 7/30 failures (23%), 6/30 reoperations (20%), and 12 complications in 9/30 wrists (complication rate, 30%) at a mean latest follow-up of 11 months (1.2-158 months). Of the 7 failures, 5 were due to loss of reduction, and 2 of them were deep infections with mean time to failure of 8.3 weeks (range, 11 days-5.2 months).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found a high rate of complications, reoperations, and early failure despite a short follow-up period and a small cohort of patients with PD treated surgically for a DRF. We recommend locked plating if suitable for the fracture type and early involvement of a multidisciplinary team to assist with medical optimization of PD to increase chances of a successful outcome.

Effects of a Resistance Training Protocol on Physical Performance, Body Composition, Bone Metabolism, and Systemic Homeostasis in Patients Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and it is correlated with loss of bone mineral density. This study aimed to analyze the effects of resistance training on bone metabolism, systemic homeostasis, body composition, and physical performance in people with PD. Thirteen subjects (age 64.83 ± 5.70) with PD diagnosis were recruited. Participants performed neuromuscular tests, body composition assessment, and blood sample analysis at baseline, and after an 11 weeks-training period. Each training session lasted 90 min, three times a week. The participants had significant improvements in the timed up and go (p < 0.01), sit to stand (p < 0.01), dominant peg-board (p < 0.05), dominant foot-reaction time (p < 0.01), and functional reach tests (p < 0.05). They showed better pressure foot distributions in the left forefoot (p < 0.05) and hindfoot (p < 0.05) and increased cervical right lateral bending angle (p < 0.05). The protocol affects bone metabolism markers osteocalcin (p < 0.05), calcium (p < 0.01), PTH (p < 0.01), the C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) (p < 0.01), and vitamin D (p < 0.05). Eleven weeks of resistance training improved manual dexterity, static and dynamic balance, reaction time, cervical ROM, and reduced bone loss in people with PD.

Parkinson's disease: the nutrition perspective

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease and affects about 1% of the population over the age of 60 years in industrialised countries. The aim of this review is to examine nutrition in PD across three domains: dietary intake and the development of PD; whole body metabolism in PD and the effects of PD symptoms and treatment on nutritional status. In most cases, PD is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and although there has been much research in the area, evidence suggests that poor dietary intake is not a risk factor for the development of PD. The evidence about body weight changes in both the prodromal and symptomatic phases of PD is inconclusive and is confounded by many factors. Malnutrition in PD has been documented as has sarcopaenia, although the prevalence of the latter remains uncertain due to a lack of consensus in the definition of sarcopaenia. PD symptoms, including those which are gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal, are known to adversely affect nutritional status. Similarly, PD treatments can cause nausea, vomiting and constipation, all of which can adversely affect nutritional status. Given that the prevalence of PD will increase as the population ages, it is important to understand the interplay between PD, comorbidities and nutritional status. Further research may contribute to the development of interventional strategies to improve symptoms, augment care and importantly, enhance the quality of life for patients living with this complex neurodegenerative disease.

Mortality of People with Parkinson's Disease in a Large UK-Based Cohort Study: Time Trends and Relationship to Disease Duration

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with increased mortality, but little is known about changes over time, and relationship to disease progression.

Objectives

To explore how PD mortality rates have changed over time and their relationship to disease duration and demographics using a large population-based cohort in the UK.

Methods

We included individuals aged 50+ years with a first recording of PD diagnosis and at least two prescriptions of any antiparkinsonian drug actively registered within a general practice from 2006 to 2016 and up to six frequency-matched controls from The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database. We estimated adjusted mortality rates using multivariable Poisson regression.

Results

A total of 10,104 people with a diagnosis of PD and 55,664 people without PD were included. Overall, PD was associated with slightly increased mortality compared to non-PD controls (adjusted mortality rate ratio: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.19). Adjusted mortality rates per 1000 person-years at risk for people with PD approximately doubled in the 5 years following diagnosis from 43 (95% CI: 38 to 48) to 75 (95% CI: 64 to 85). Following adjustments for age, gender, and time since diagnosis, mortality rates between 2007 and 2016 declined more slowly for people with PD (2% per year; 95% CI: 0%–4%) compared to people without PD (5% per year; 95% CI: 3%–6%).

Conclusions

Whilst mortality in PD is only slightly increased overall, it gradually increases with advancing disease. There has been a decline in mortality in PD over time, but this decrease was less pronounced than that in the general population.

Bone Mineral Density Loss in Parkinson's Disease: Impact of Clinical Subtypes

Background: This study aimed to compare the BMD status among the clinical subtypes of PD and healthy controls.Methods: Sixty patients with PD and 30 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. The patients were divided into postural instability gait difficulty-dominant type (PIGDDT) group and tremor-dominant type (TDT) group based on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score. BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans in femoral and lumbar regions.Results: The T-scores in femoral and lumbar regions were similar in all groups. The prevalence of osteopenia was higher than the prevalence of osteoporosis in all three groups for femoral regions. The prevalence of osteoporosis in the intertrochanteric region and total femur in the PIGDDT group was higher than in the TDT group and controls. Our data showed a trend toward higher prevalence of osteoporosis in the PIGDDT group.Conclusion: The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis may differ between clinical subtypes of PD and healthy controls. Osteopenia is more common than osteoporosis for all groups. The patients with PIGDDT of PD tended to have higher prevalence of osteoporosis, even at early stages of disease, compared to those with TDT and healthy controls.

Bone Mineral Density and Related Scores in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common degenerative neurologic disorder in older adults, and increasing attention has been paid to bone health in PD. Although several studies have shown that patients with PD have a lower bone mineral density (BMD) than do non-PD controls, there have been no systematic reviews in recent years.

METHODS

PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science were used to search relevant studies up to May 2020. BMD, BMD T score, and BMD Z score of patients with and without PD were statistically analyzed. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager version 5.3.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 17 studies comprising 10,289 individuals. In the meta-analysis, adults with PD had lower total body, total hip, total radius, lumbar spine, total femur, femur neck, right-hand, and left-hand BMD than did non-PD controls. The T score of total body BMD, total hip BMD, total radius BMD, lumbar spine BMD, L1-L4 spine BMD, total femur BMD, and femur neck BMD in adults with PD were lower than those in non-PD controls. Futhermore, the Z score of total body BMD, total hip BMD, total radius BMD, lumbar spine BMD, L1-L4 spine BMD, and femur neck BMD was lower in adults with PD than in non-PD controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PD had a lower BMD, BMD T score, and BMD Z score compared with non-PD controls. Therefore, clinicians should routinely monitor BMD of patients with PD to prevent falling and fragility fractures in older adults and optimize BMD before surgical treatment of severe spinal deformity caused by PD.

Effects of Neurological Disorders on Bone Health

Neurological diseases, particularly in the context of aging, have serious impacts on quality of life and can negatively affect bone health. The brain-bone axis is critically important for skeletal metabolism, sensory innervation, and endocrine cross-talk between these organs. This review discusses current evidence for the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which various neurological disease categories, including autoimmune, developmental, dementia-related, movement, neuromuscular, stroke, trauma, and psychological, impart changes in bone homeostasis and mass, as well as fracture risk. Likewise, how bone may affect neurological function is discussed. Gaining a better understanding of brain-bone interactions, particularly in patients with underlying neurological disorders, may lead to development of novel therapies and discovery of shared risk factors, as well as highlight the need for broad, whole-health clinical approaches toward treatment.

Sagittal imbalance, muscle atrophy, and osteoporosis: risk factors for revision posterior lumbar fusion surgery in patients with Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to evaluate features and complications of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who underwent posterior lumbar fusion surgery for lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD), as well as the risk factors for revision.

METHODS

Between January 2010 and December 2016, 132 patients were retrospectively identified for inclusion. Patients were divided into a 29 revision PD group and a 103 non-revision PD group. Patient factors included bone mineral density (BMD) and severity of PD using the Hoehn and Yahr staging system. Surgical factors included surgical levels and fusion methods. Radiographic measurements included pre-operative spinopelvic parameters, paraspinal muscle atrophy, and fatty infiltration. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors for revision posterior lumbar fusion.

RESULTS

The average age of the PD patients was 67.96 years, and the follow-up time was 49.01 months. R-PD patients accounted for 21.97% of all PD patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery. Multivariable analysis indicated that low BMD (p = 0.012), fatty infiltration (p = 0.038), a smaller relative cross-sectional area (rCSA) of the paraspinal muscle (p = 0.008), larger pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) (p = 0.01), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (p = 0.004) were significant independent risk factors for revision posterior lumbar fusion in PD patients.

CONCLUSION

PD patients with low pre-operative BMD, fatty infiltration, a smaller rCSA of the paraspinal muscle, and larger PI-LL and SVA had a higher rate of revision lumbar fusion. Maintaining sagittal balance, functional exercises, and anti-osteoporosis treatment were important in preventing complications in PD patients.

Behavioral therapy for urinary symptoms in Parkinson's disease: A randomized clinical trial

AIM

Determine the efficacy of behavioral therapy for urinary symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

METHODS

Randomized trial of behavioral therapy compared with control condition among adults (aged 54-85 years, 74% male, 10% Black/ 83% White) with Parkinson's and greater than or equal to 4 incontinence episodes weekly. Behavioral therapy included pelvic floor muscle exercises, bladder training, fluid and constipation management. Both groups completed bladder diary self-monitoring. Outcomes included diary-derived incontinence and ICIQ-overactive bladder (OAB) score (range, 0-16) with bother and quality of life questionnaires (higher scores = worse outcomes).

RESULTS

Fifty-three participants randomized and 47 reported 8-week outcomes including 26 behavioral therapy and 21 control. Behavioral vs control participants were similar with respect to age (71.0 ± 6.1 vs 69.7 ± 8.2 years), sex (70% vs 78% male), motor score, cognition, mean weekly incontinence episodes (13.9 ± 9.6 vs 15.1 ± 11.1) and OAB symptoms (8.9 ± 2.4 vs 8.3 ± 2.2). Weekly incontinence reduction was similar between behavioral (-6.2 ± 8.7) and control participants (-6.5 ± 13.8) (P = 0.89). After multiple imputation analysis, behavioral therapy participants reported statistically similar reduction in OAB symptoms compared to control (-3.1 ± 2.8 vs -1.9 ± 2.2, P = 0.19); however quality of life (-22.6 ± 19.1 vs -7.0 ± 18.4, P = 0.048) and bother (-12.6 ± 17.2 vs - 6.7 ± 8.8, P = 0.037) improved significantly more with behavioral therapy.

CONCLUSION

Self-monitoring resulted in fewer urinary symptoms; however, only multicomponent behavioral therapy was associated with reduced bother and improved quality of life. Providers should consider behavioral therapy as initial treatment for urinary symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Report and Research Agenda of the American Geriatrics Society and National Institute on Aging Bedside-to-Bench Conference on Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults: A Translational Research Agenda for a Complex Geriatric Syndrome

The American Geriatrics Society, with support from the National Institute on Aging and other funders, held its ninth Bedside-to-Bench research conference, entitled "Urinary Incontinence in the Older Adult: A Translational Research Agenda for a Complex Geriatric Syndrome," October 16 to 18, 2016, in Bethesda, Maryland. As part of a conference series addressing three common geriatric syndromes-delirium, sleep and circadian rhythm disturbance, and urinary incontinence-the series highlighted relationships and pertinent clinical and pathophysiological commonalities between these conditions. The conference provided a forum for discussing current epidemiology, basic science, and clinical and translational research on urinary incontinence in older adults; for identifying gaps in knowledge; and for developing a research agenda to inform future investigative efforts. The conference also promoted networking involving emerging researchers and thought leaders in the field of incontinence, aging, and other fields of research, as well as National Institutes of Health program personnel.

Predictors of Mortality in Nondemented Patients With Parkinson Disease: Motor Symptoms Versus Nonmotor Symptoms

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for mortality in a community-based cohort of nondemented patients with Parkinson disease (PD) during prospective long-term follow-up, while also comparing the effect of motor complications to nonmotor symptoms (NMS) on risk of mortality.

METHODS

One hundred forty seven nondemented patients with PD (57.1% males; 70.9 ± 8.6 years old) were included in this 48 month follow-up, longitudinal, single, evaluation study. Motor and therapy-related complications were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale/part-IV (UPDRS-IV). Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) total score was used to assess NMS burden. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to identify independent predictors of mortality during follow-up.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients of 146 (15.1%) died (1 case without information). Both UPDRS-IV and NMSS total scores were higher at baseline in patients with PD who died (3.5 ± 3.1 vs 2.4 ± 2.4, P = .049 and 96.9 ± 58.6 vs 61.9 ± 51.0, P = .004, respectively). Unadjusted hazard ratios (HRs) associated with UPDRS-IV and NMSS total scores among those who died during follow-up were 1.171 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.012-1.357; P = .035) and 1.008 (95% CI: 1.002-1.013; P = .006), respectively. Independent predictors of mortality during follow-up after adjusting for other covariates were UPDRS-IV (HR: 1.224; 95% CI: 1.002-1.494; P = .047), age (HR: 1.231; 95% CI: 1104-1.374; P < .0001), and comorbidity (Charlson Index; HR: 1.429; 95% CI: 1.023-1.994; P = .036), but not NMSS total score (HR: 1.005; 95% CI: 0.996-1.014; P = .263).

CONCLUSIONS

Both motor complications (UPDRS-IV) and NMS (NMSS) were associated with mortality at 4 years, being motor complications an independent predictor of it.

Predictors of change of trabecular bone score (TBS) in older men: results from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study

Among older men, characteristics that predict longitudinal changes in trabecular bone score (TBS) are different from characteristics that predict changes in bone mineral density (BMD). Most notably, weight loss is strongly associated with concomitant loss in BMD but with concomitant increases in TBS, when measured on Hologic densitometers.

INTRODUCTION

Our objective was to compare and contrast predictors of changes in TBS, total hip BMD, and lumbar spine BMD.

METHODS

Our study population was 3969 Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort participants (mean age 72.8 years) with repeat measures of TBS, lumbar spine and total hip BMD, body mass index (BMI) less than 37 kg/m², and no use of bisphosphonate or glucocorticoid medications. TBS was scored (Med-Imaps Software version 2.1) and BMD measured on Hologic densitometers.

RESULTS

One thousand four hundred forty-four men had a TBS decrease > 0.04 units (estimated least significant change for TBS), 795 men had a TBS increase > 0.04 units, and 1730 men had TBS change ≤ 0.04 units over mean follow-up of 4.6 years. Older age was not associated with TBS change, but was associated with greater decline in lumbar spine and total hip BMD. Compared to stable weight, > 10% weight loss was strongly associated with an increase in TBS [effect size = 1.24 (95% CI 1.12, 1.36)] and strongly associated with a decrease in total hip BMD [- 1.16 (95% CI - 1.19, - 1.03)]. Other predictors discordant for longitudinal changes of TBS and BMD included baseline BMI, walk speed, and ACE inhibitor use.

CONCLUSIONS

Predictors of changes in TBS are different from predictors of changes in lumbar spine and total hip BMD. At least when assessed on Hologic densitometers, weight loss is associated with subsequent declines in spine and total hip BMD but subsequent increase in TBS. Faster walk speed may protect against loss of hip BMD, but is not associated with longitudinal changes of TBS.

Hip fractures and Parkinson's disease: A case series

There are no specific guidelines for treating Parkinson's disease patients who present with a hip fracture. Here we present a large cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease who suffered hip fractures. Our aim was to assess for differences between a Parkinson's disease population and a non-Parkinson's disease population with hip fractures and make recommendations on management guidelines. We performed a comprehensive analysis of prospectively collected data on all patients with hip fracture who were admitted into our department over a period of 29 years. In total 9225 patients with hip fractures were included in this study, 452 (4.9%) patients had Parkinson's disease. The mobility scores were worse pre- and post-operatively in the Parkinson's group as were mini-mental scores and ASA grade. Post-operative complications were similar between the two groups, with no difference in dislocation rate or wound complications. However, other outcomes including mobility and mortality rate at 1year were worse in the Parkinson's group. These patients also had a longer hospital stay and were more likely to be immobile and discharged to an institution. We recommend that Parkinson's disease patients should be assessed more thoroughly in the peri-operative period and arrangement for rehab and discharge planning should commence as soon as possible following admission. The consent process should reflect longer hospital stays, worse mobility, higher mortality and increased likelihood of discharge to institution but concern over increased complications, specifically dislocation was not evident in our data.

Fragility Fractures and Parkinsonism: Relationship of Fractures with Demography, Severity and Predictors of Adverse Outcomes

Background: The risk of falls is higher in patients with Parkinsonism (PwP) as compared to other older adults, leading to adverse outcomes including fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is under-recognised and the current prevalence of fragility fractures is not well-studied. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of fragility fractures in PwP, to measure the relationship of fractures with demography, severity and to measure predictors of adverse outcomes in this population. Method/Description: This was a retrospective observational cohort study based on the analysis of existing data for all the patients attending Caerphilly Movement Disorder Clinic. Information on demographics, the severity of Parkinsonism and fragility fractures was extracted electronically from the clinical workstation, clinic letters and coding from January 2015 to October 2016. Results: 397 people (mean age = 77.1 ± 9.4, 46% females) were studied. Of these, 77% (306/397) had Parkinsonism and 80% (244/306) had idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). The mean Hoehn & Yahr Score at the time assessment was 3.09 ± 1.16. Additionally, 23.5% (72/306) were deemed to have osteoporosis based on the radiological evidence of fragility fractures. The PwP who sustained fractures were comparatively older (80.4 ± 12.1) and 70% (50/72) were females. The most common site for fractures was vertebral (47.2%; 34/72). Also, 22.2% of the sample (16/72) had suffered a fragility fracture before the diagnosis of PD. However, a majority (77.8%; 56/72) had sustained a fracture during the course of PD with a mean lapse of 6 years (range = 0–13 years) from initial diagnosis. Only 40% (29/72) of patients were prescribed osteoporosis drugs as per guidelines. There is a significant correlation of advancing age, severity and duration of PD with fragility fractures. The single best predictor of mortality is severity of PD, followed by age and fractures. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of fragility fractures in patients attending movement disorder clinics, although 60% do not receive evidence-based medical treatment for the underlying osteoporosis. The prevalence of fragility fractures is positively correlated with the duration and severity of PD. We acknowledge the relatively small sample size as the study’s limitation.

Risk and Prevention of Fracture in Patients With Major Medical Illnesses: A Mini-Review

Patients with several medical conditions, including Parkinson's disease, recent stroke, HIV, and heart failure, have a high risk of hip fracture. These patients will also have more severe consequences of a hip fracture, including a greater chance of dying and more prolonged disability. Together, there are nearly as many patients with medical conditions that substantially increase the risk of hip fracture as there are people with osteoporosis by femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD). The contributions of falling and decreased bone mass to the increased risks with these conditions are not certain. Although there are few data about whether and what type of treatments these patients receive to prevent fracture, it is likely that few receive pharmacologic treatments that have been shown to reduce the risk of hip fracture. There is a need to show that drug treatments that strengthen bone also reduce fracture risk in patients whose risk may be owing in greater part to traumatic falls than osteoporosis. Assuming that treatments are efficacious in these patients, there is a major opportunity to substantially reduce the incidence and consequences of hip fracture by reaching more of them with drug treatments to reduce the risk of hip fracture. This will require engagement of specialists who have little expertise and perhaps limited interest in preventing fractures, or new approaches to delivering drug treatments to prevent fracture directly to the patients at risk. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Comorbid Parkinson's disease, falls and fractures in the 2010 National Emergency Department Sample

INTRODUCTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder of multifactorial etiology affecting ∼1% of older adults. Research focused on linking PD to falls and bone fractures has been limited in Emergency Department (ED) settings, where most injuries are identified. We assessed whether injured U.S. ED admissions with PD diagnoses were more likely to exhibit comorbid fall- or non-fall related bone fractures and whether a PD diagnosis with a concomitant fall or bone fracture is linked to worse prognosis.

METHODS

We performed secondary analyses of 2010 Healthcare Utilization Project National ED Sample from 4,253,987 admissions to U.S. EDs linked to injured elderly patients. ED discharges with ICD-9-CM code (332.0) were identified as PD and those with ICD-9-CM code (800.0-829.0) were used to define bone fracture location. Linear and logistic regression models were constructed to estimate slopes (B) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

PD admissions had 28% increased adjusted prevalence of bone fracture. Non-fall injuries showed stronger relationship between PD and bone fracture (OR_adj = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.22-1.45) than fall injuries (OR_adj = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.10). PD had the strongest impact on hospitalization length when bone fracture and fall co-occurred, and total charges were directly associated with PD only for fall injuries. Finally, PD status was not related to in-hospital death in this population.

CONCLUSION

Among injured U.S. ED elderly patient visits, those with PD had higher bone fracture prevalence and more resource utilization especially among fall-related injuries. No association of PD with in-hospital death was noted.

A quality improvement initiative on the management of osteoporosis in older people with Parkinsonism

The risk of falls is higher in patients with people with Parkinsonism (PwP) compared to those without Parkinsonism, and leads to adverse outcomes including fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is under-recognised, and the prevalence of fragility fractures in not well studied. The primary aim of this project is for 100% of new patient referrals to, and 80% of follow up patients within the movement disorder (MD) service with osteoporosis to be treated in accordance with evidence based osteoporosis guidance.

Routinely captured information regarding demographics and fragility fractures was retrospectively extracted from the clinical workstation, clinic letters, and clinical coding between July and November 2015. The prevalence of fragility fracture was 22.6% (68/300), and only 40% (27/68) were on appropriate treatment for osteoporosis.

A quality improvement (QI) methodology based on the model of improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were used, and a monthly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting was introduced.

This QI initiative has shown that MDT input can reduce referrals to physiotherapists; and also 100% of new patients, and 91% of follow up patients received evidence based osteoporosis treatment.

Risk Factors, Epidemiology and Treatment Strategies for Metabolic Bone Disease in Patients with Neurological Disease

Metabolic bone disease is a major public health concern, especially when it manifests as hip fracture which carries significant morbidity and mortality. Individuals with neurological disease are at higher risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis and fragility fracture compared to age-matched controls, yet this is under-appreciated by these patients. Clinician attention to this topic is therefore of importance and should address the bone health of men as well as women, a group in whom it may be an under-recognised problem. Evidence for optimal management of bone health in neurological disease remains to be defined, but a growing literature provides some useful guidance. This review focuses on two conditions, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, where research has been active over recent years. In neuroinflammation, shared immunological pathways between bone and brain are a current domain of interest and it will be intriguing to interrogate the action of emerging immunotherapies on these dual compartments.

Prevalence of Parkinsonism in older patients with hip fracture

Parkinsonism in hip fracture (HF) patients is a potential source for complications during surgery, postoperative period and rehabilitation and a risk factor of second HF. We investigated whether parkinsonism was more prevalent in older subjects with HF than in other older patient groups undergoing surgery. We prospectively assessed patients who had suffered HF and controls. We assigned all patients aged 68 and older admitted in our hospital for HF surgery during last year and compared them with age- and gender matched patients attending other surgical departments. 80 HF patients and 80 controls were assessed for parkinsonism. Parkinsonism was common in both groups, presumably reflecting the mean ages of approximately 80 years, plus hospitalization-status. However, parkinsonism was much higher in the hip fracture group (76.25%) compared to the control hospitalised subjects (37.5%; p<0.001). The majority of HF patients with parkinsonism were undiagnosed for their parkinsonism symptoms prior to HF and the same was observed in the control group (91.8% and 86.7% respectively, p= 0.471). Among those with parkinsonism, pre-hospitalization drug therapy may have been contributory in 24.5% of HF patients and 30% of controls (p=0.589). Parkinsonism is very common in older patients admitted for surgery to a general hospital and extremely common in those with HF. It seems that parkinsonism, is heavily under recognised in the elderly. Our data seem to confirm that parkinsonism is a major risk factor of HF in the elderly.

Osteoporosis in men: findings from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS)

The lifespan of men is increasing and this is associated with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis in men. Osteoporosis increases the risk of bone fracture. Fractures are associated with increased disability and mortality, and public health problems. We review here the study of osteoporosis in men as obtained from a longitudinal cohort of community-based older men, the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS).

Lower Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study from Chinese Mainland

KEY POINTS

Significantly lower BMD in PD compared to healthy subjects in both genders.Less than 35 mg(2)/dl(2) of Ca-P product in >80% of PD patients.Significant correlations between BMD and severity of PD.Lower BMD at H&Y stage III/IV than that at H&Y stage I/II.

OBJECTIVES

Although several lines of evidence have suggested that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a higher risk of osteoporosis and fracture, the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and severity of PD patients is unknown.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of 54 patients with PD and 59 healthy age-matched controls. Multiple clinical scales were used to evaluate the severity of PD, and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and homocysteine were measured to determine BMD's association with PD severity.

RESULTS

BMD in PD patients was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. The BMD scores of the spine, femoral neck (FN), and hip were lower in females than in males in the healthy group. In the PD group, BMD in the hip was significantly lower in females compared to males. There was a negative correlation between daily l-DOPA dosage and BMD in the spine and hip in the PD group, while BMD in the spine, neck, and hip was significantly correlated with severity of PD. Besides, we found that among the lumbar spine (LS), FN, and hip, bone loss in the LS was the most severe in PD patients based on the T-scores.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the hypothesis that patients with PD have a higher risk of osteoporosis, and that low BMD in the spine, FN, and hip may indirectly reflect the severity of PD. Our findings have prompted us to pay more attention to osteoporosis in the LS in Chinese PD patients.

Risk and adverse outcomes of fractures in patients with Parkinson's disease: two nationwide studies

The association between Parkinson's disease and fracture was not completely understood. This nationwide study investigated increased risk of fracture in patients with Parkinson's disease. In the nested cohort study, Parkinson's disease was associated with pneumonia, septicemia, stroke, urinary tract infection, and mortality after fracture admission.

INTRODUCTION

Falls are a common complication in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study evaluated fracture risk and post-fracture outcomes in patients with PD.

METHODS

We identified 1,423 adults aged 40 years and older newly diagnosed with PD using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2003. Comparison cohort consisted of 5,692 adults without PD randomly selected from the same dataset, frequency matched in age and sex. Followed-up events of fracture from January 1, 2000, until December 31, 2008, were ascertained from medical claims. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) of fracture associated with PD were evaluated. Another nested cohort study of 397,766 hospitalized fracture patients analyzed for adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % CIs of adverse events after fracture among patients with and without PD between 2004 and 2010.

RESULTS

The incidences of fracture for people with and without PD were 39.5 and 23.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively (p < 0.0001). Compared with control, the adjusted HR of fracture was 2.25 (95 % CI 1.97-2.58) for PD patients. Previous PD was associated with risks of pneumonia (OR 1.44, 95 % CI 1.36-1.52), septicemia (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.33-1.49), stroke (OR 1.40, 95 % CI 1.32-1.50), urinary tract infection (OR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.46-1.61), and mortality (OR 1.25, 95 % CI 1.15-1.35) after fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

PD was associated with higher risk of fracture. Patients with PD had more complications and mortality after fracture. Fracture prevention and attention to post-fracture adverse events are needed for this susceptible population.

Bone health in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Parkinson's disease (PD) and osteoporosis are chronic diseases associated with increasing age. Single studies have reported associations between them and the major consequence, namely, increased risk of fractures. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship of PD with osteoporosis, bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk.

METHODS

A literature search was undertaken on 4 September 2012 using multiple indexing databases and relevant search terms. Articles were screened for suitability and data extracted where studies met inclusion criteria and were of sufficient quality. Data were combined using standard meta-analysis methods.

RESULTS

23 studies were used in the final analysis. PD patients were at higher risk of osteoporosis (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.69 to 4.03) compared with healthy controls. Male patients had a lower risk for osteoporosis and osteopenia than female patients (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.68). PD patients had lower hip, lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD levels compared with healthy controls; mean difference, -0.08, 95% CI -0.13 to -0.02 for femoral neck; -0.09, 95% CI -0.15 to -0.03 for lumbar spine; and -0.05, 95% CI -0.07 to -0.03 for total hip. PD patients were also at increased risk of fractures (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.83 to 2.83).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that PD patients are at higher risk for both osteoporosis and osteopenia compared with healthy controls, and that female patients are at greater risk than male patients. Patients with PD also have lower BMD and are at increased risk of fractures.

Osteoporosis in neurodegeneration

Osteoporosis affects bone microarchitecture and reduces bone mass. There are more than 200 million people with osteoporosis worldwide, and the prevalence is slowly increasing. The highest prevalences are found in Scandinavia and USA, also slowly increasing. A parallel increase in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis has been noted since the middle of this century. Osteoporosis is more common in patients with each of these neurodegenerative conditions than in the general population. Several metals with neurotoxic properties accumulate in bone and can substitute for calcium in hydroxyapatite, the main mineral component of bone. Especially cadmium, but also lead, aluminum and arsenic affect bone mineral density negatively. Metals with neurotoxic properties have also been found in brain and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, and markers for neurodegeneration such as amyloid beta peptide and amyloid precursor protein have been detected in bone tissue from patients with osteoporosis. A common mechanism contributing to the pathogenesis of both neurodegeneration and osteoporosis can be suspected. The hypothesis that neurodegenerative disorders are associated with osteoporosis is presented and discussed.

Risk for femoral fractures in Parkinson's disease patients with and without severe functional impairment

BACKGROUND

Impaired balance is a major problem in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) resulting in an increased risk of falls and fall-related fractures. Most studies which analyzed the risk of femoral fractures in patients with idiopathic PD were performed either in specialized centers or excluded very frail patients. The current study used a large population-based dataset in order to analyze the risk of femoral fractures in patients with idiopathic PD.

METHODS

Data from more than 880.000 individuals aged 65 years or older and insured between 2004 and 2009 at a large German health insurance company were used for the analyses. Persons with idiopathic PD were identified by the dispensing of Parkinson-specific medication and by hospital diagnoses, if available. People without PD served as the reference group. Incident femoral fractures were obtained from hospital diagnoses. Analyses were stratified by gender and information on severe functional impairment (care need) as provided by reimbursement claims.

RESULTS

Compared with the reference group, persons with idiopathic PD had a more than doubled risk to sustain a femoral fracture. The risk was higher in men (HR = 2.61; 95%-CI: 2.28-2.98) than in women (HR = 1.79; 95%-CI: 1.66-1.94). The increased risk was only observed in people without severe functional impairment. The sensitivity analysis using a refined definition of idiopathic PD patients yielded similar results.

CONCLUSION

The findings confirm the increased risk of femoral fractures in patients with idiopathic PD. The relative risk is particularly high in male PD patients and in patients without severe functional impairment.

Parkinson's disease and risk of fracture: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

Backgrounds/Objective

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease among the elderly population. However, epidemiological evidence on the relationship of PD with risk of fracture has not been systematically assessed. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis of prospective studies to explore the association between PD and risk of fracture.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library up to February 26, 2014 were searched to identify eligible studies. Random-effects model was used to pool the results.

Results

Six studies that totally involved 69,387 participants were included for analysis. Overall, PD patients had an increased risk of fracture compared with control subjects (pooled hazard ratio = 2.66, 95% confidence interval: 2.10–3.36). No publication bias was observed across studies and the subgroup as well as sensitivity analysis suggested that the general results were robust.

Conclusion

The present study suggested that PD is associated with an increased risk of fracture. However, given the limited number and moderate quality of included studies, well-designed prospective cohort studies are required to confirm the findings from this meta-analysis.

Authorship, institutional and citation metrics for publications on postmenopausal osteoporosis

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone condition that does not often become clinically clear until a fracture occurs. The objective of the current study was to analyze all publications whose titles included the term "postmenopausal osteoporosis" published during the past decade by journals indexed in the database of SCI-E.

METHODS

This paper analyzes two sets of data: in the first, all papers with "postmenopausal osteoporosis" in their titles indexed in the database of SCI-E in the period 2001-2011; the second, all papers published by Osteoporosis International that were indexed in SCI-E during 2001-2011. The Science of Science Tool was used to map the co-authorship networks of papers published by Osteoporosis International in 2007-2011. Only papers cited more than 100 times in the Web of Science were considered for mapping the co-authorship network.

RESULTS

A total number of 2,056 papers with "postmenopausal osteoporosis" in their titles were indexed in SCI-E between 2001 and 2011. The annual number of publications increased during the study period. The majority of publications came from Western Europe and North America. The number of papers published by authors based in Western Europe was about 75% greater than for North America.

CONCLUSION

More papers on postmenopausal osteoporosis were published in Western Europe than in North America. The networks of co-authorship pointed to the strategic positions of highly cited authors from Western Europe. The top eight authors contributing the majority of papers were from Western Europe. Consequently Western Europe had greater impact than North America.

Relative mortality in U.S. Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson disease and hip and pelvic fractures

BACKGROUND

Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects gait and postural stability, resulting in an increased risk of falling. The purpose of this study was to estimate mortality associated with demographic factors after hip or pelvic (hip/pelvic) fracture in people with Parkinson disease. A secondary goal was to compare the mortality associated with Parkinson disease to that associated with other common medical conditions in patients with hip/pelvic fracture.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational cohort study of 1,980,401 elderly Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with hip/pelvic fracture from 2000 to 2005 who were identified with use of the Beneficiary Annual Summary File. The race/ethnicity distribution of the sample was white (93.2%), black (3.8%), Hispanic (1.2%), and Asian (0.6%). Individuals with Parkinson disease (131,215) were identified with use of outpatient and carrier claims. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of death associated with demographic and clinical variables and to compare mortality after hip/pelvic fracture between patients with Parkinson disease and those with other medical conditions associated with high mortality after hip/pelvic fracture, after adjustment for race/ethnicity, sex, age, and modified Charlson comorbidity score.

RESULTS

Among those with Parkinson disease, women had lower mortality after hip/pelvic fracture than men (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]) = 0.62 to 0.64), after adjustment for covariates. Compared with whites, blacks had a higher (HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.16) and Hispanics had a lower (HR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.81 to 0.95) mortality, after adjustment for covariates. Overall, the adjusted mortality rate after hip/pelvic fracture in individuals with Parkinson disease (HR = 2.41, 95% CI = 2.37 to 2.46) was substantially elevated compared with those without the disease, a finding similar to the increased mortality associated with a diagnosis of dementia (HR = 2.73, 95% CI = 2.68 to 2.79), kidney disease (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 2.60 to 2.72), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR = 2.48, 95% CI = 2.43 to 2.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality after hip/pelvic fracture in Parkinson disease varies according to demographic factors. Mortality after hip/pelvic fracture is substantially increased among those with Parkinson disease.

Parkinson's disease and risk of mortality: meta-analysis and systematic review

To evaluate the existing prospective observational studies on the morality risk among Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and determine the overall risk ratio (RR) of mortality by conducting a meta-analysis and systematic review. Original articles published in English were searched in PubMed and Embase databases prior to March 2013. Only prospective observational studies providing adjusted risk estimates related to PD and future mortality were considered eligible. Pooled adjusted RR and 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed either by fixed-effects models or by random-effects models. Eight studies with 72,833 participants were identified and analysed. In the pooled analyses, patients with PD had a greater risk of all-cause mortality (RR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.78-2.77). Subgroup analyses based on the design, gender, follow-up duration and sample size showed that a consistent positive association between PD and the mortality risk in each subgroup. However, no statistical significance was found for the baseline age <65 years (RR = 1.42; 95% CI: 0.72-2.77). PD patients with dementia had particularly high mortality risks (RR = 3.78; 95% CI: 2.06-6.92). This meta-analysis indicated that among patients with PD, the all-cause mortality increased by 2.22-fold compared with the general population. PD patients with dementia particularly had higher risks of mortality.

Five-year fracture risk estimation in patients with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are at increased risk of fractures. However, no specific prediction model for fracture estimation among PD patients is currently available. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a simple score for estimating the 5-year osteoporotic and hip fracture risks among patients with PD.

METHODS

The U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink (1987-2011) was used to identify incident PD patients. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to calculate the 5-year risks of osteoporotic and hip fracture among PD patients. The regression model was fitted with various risk factors for fracture and the final Cox model was converted into integer risk scores.

RESULTS

We identified 4411 incident PD patients without a history of osteoporotic treatment. The 5-year risks of osteoporotic and hip fracture were plotted in relation to the risk score. Risk scores increased with age, female gender, history of renal disease and history of dementia. The C-statistic, which is a parameter to test the internal validity of the model, was reasonable for the prediction of osteoporotic fracture (0.69) and hip fracture (0.73).

CONCLUSION

In this study, we developed a simple model to estimate 5-year fracture risk among incident PD patients. It may be useful in daily practice after external validation.

Risk of fracture in patients with Parkinson's disease

The aim of the study was to determine fracture risk in incident Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. This study showed that fracture risk assessment may be indicated among patients with PD, in particular when they have recently used selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or high-dose antipsychotics, or have a history of fracture, falling, low body mass index (BMI) or renal disease.

INTRODUCTION

PD is a movement disorder associated with falling and detrimental effects on bone. Both are recognized risk factors for fracture. Therefore, the aim was to determine fracture risk in incident PD patients stratified by treatment, severity, duration of disease and related comorbidities.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the UK General Practice Research Database (1987-2011). Each PD patient was matched by age, sex, calendar time and practice to a control patient without history of PD.

RESULTS

We identified 4,687 incident PD patients. Compared to controls, a statistically significant increased risk was observed for any fracture (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.89; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.67-2.14), osteoporotic fracture (AHR, 1.99; 95 % CI, 1.72-2.30) and hip fracture (AHR 3.08; 95 % CI, 2.43-3.89). Fracture risk further increased with history of fracture, falling, low BMI, renal disease, antidepressant use and use of high-dose antipsychotics.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that incident PD patients have a statistically significant increased risk of fracture. Therefore, fracture risk assessment may be indicated among PD patients, who, besides the general risk factors for fracture, like increasing age and female gender, have recently used selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or high-dose antipsychotics or have a history of fracture, falling, low BMI or renal disease.

Parkinson's disease and osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a high risk of sustaining osteoporotic fractures as a result of falls and reduced bone mass.

OBJECTIVE

to summarise the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of bone loss in PD by reviewing the available literature.

METHODS

a Medline search was performed for articles published between January 1975 and January 2011, using the keywords 'bone mineral density', 'bone loss', 'bone metabolism', 'osteoporosis', 'osteopenia', 'Parkinson's disease' and 'Parkinsonism'.

RESULTS

PD patients have a lower bone mineral density (BMD) than age-matched controls. Bone loss in PD is multifactorial, resulting from immobility, decreased muscle strength, and low body weight. Vitamin D deficiency is also important, not only because it reduces BMD, but also because cell function in the substantia nigra depends on vitamin D. Lastly, hyperhomocysteinaemia, an independent risk factor for osteoporosis, is common in PD, due to levodopa use, as well as vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency. A few studies have demonstrated that treatment with bisphosphonates, vitamin D and calcium can increase BMD and reduce fractures in PD patients.

CONCLUSION

bone loss in PD is multifactorial. It is clinically important because of the concomitant risk of fractures. Screening for osteoporosis should be considered more often, and therapeutic interventions should be initiated.

Recurrent bilateral metatarsal "stress-and-insufficiency" fractures in a levodopa-treated young woman with Parkinson's disease

Levodopa treatment of Parkinson's disease is very effective, but many types of adverse events can complicate the disease course, especially dyskinesias. As reported by Lee et al. (Calcif Tissue Int 86:132-41, 2010), levodopa intake is associated with increased homocysteinemia that is known to be linked to poorer bone quality and, consequently, osteoporotic fractures. Herein, we report the case of a young woman who suffered recurrent metatarsal fractures in the context of levodopa-treated early-onset Parkinson's disease.

Osteoporosis risk and bone mineral density levels in patients with Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) and osteoporosis are common diseases which affect a substantial portion of the elderly population. Accumulating evidence supports that PD patients have a high risk for osteoporosis in recent years. The purpose of the present study is to perform a meta-analysis on the risk of osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD) levels in PD patients.

METHODS

We searched all articles indexed in Medline, SciVerse Scopus and Cochrane Library published up to January 2012 concerning the association between PD and risk of osteoporosis or BMD levels. In total, 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The results indicated that PD patients are at higher risk for osteoporosis (summary OR=1.18, 95% CI=[1.09, 1.27]) than healthy controls. The gender subgroup analysis suggested that PD male patients have a higher risk for osteoporosis than female patients (female patients: summary OR=1.16, 95% CI=[1.07, 1.26]; male patients: summary OR=2.44, 95% CI=[1.37, 4.34]). Further meta-analysis showed that PD patients have a lower hip, lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD than healthy controls. The gender subgroup analysis found a lower BMD in PD female patients than controls, while no obvious difference was observed in PD male patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggested that PD patients are at higher risk for osteoporosis and have lower BMD levels than healthy controls overall.

Effect of co-morbidities on fracture risk: findings from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW)

INTRODUCTION

Greater awareness of the relationship between co-morbidities and fracture risk may improve fracture-prediction algorithms such as FRAX.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used a large, multinational cohort study (GLOW) to investigate the effect of co-morbidities on fracture risk. Women completed a baseline questionnaire detailing past medical history, including co-morbidity history and fracture. They were re-contacted annually to determine incident clinical fractures. A co-morbidity index, defined as number of baseline co-morbidities, was derived. The effect of adding the co-morbidity index to FRAX risk factors on fracture prevention was examined using chi-squared tests, the May-Hosmer test, c index and comparison of predicted versus observed fracture rates.

RESULTS

Of 52,960 women with follow-up data, enrolled between October 2006 and February 2008, 3224 (6.1%) sustained an incident fracture over 2 years. All recorded co-morbidities were significantly associated with fracture, except for high cholesterol, hypertension, celiac disease, and cancer. The strongest association was seen with Parkinson's disease (age-adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.6-3.1; P<0.001). Co-morbidities that contributed most to fracture prediction in a Cox regression model with FRAX risk factors as additional predictors were: Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis, and heart disease.

CONCLUSION

Co-morbidities, as captured in a co-morbidity index, contributed significantly to fracture risk in this study population. Parkinson's disease carried a particularly high risk of fracture; and increasing co-morbidity index was associated with increasing fracture risk. Addition of co-morbidity index to FRAX risk factors improved fracture prediction.

Osteoporosis piece of multi-morbidity puzzle in geriatric care

Osteoporosis frequently coexists with other chronic diseases and syndromes of aging, and therefore multimorbidity interactions can potentially complicate its evaluation and treatment. This article reviews osteoporosis comorbidity interactions with select common diseases of aging including cardiovascular, neurologic, and geriatric syndromes, and select commonly used medications by older adults. Using depression as a case example, we describe the complex relationship between osteoporosis, mood, and antidepressant medications, and the implications of these interactions for patients and clinicians.

Dopaminergic drugs and the risk of hip or femur fracture: a population-based case-control study

SUMMARY

The effect of dopaminergic medication on the risk of hip/femur fractures is not clear. Our results showed a nearly twofold increased risk of hip/femur fractures in current dopaminergic drug users. Concomitant use of antidepressants further increased this risk. Fracture risk assessment may be warranted in elderly users of dopaminergic drugs.

INTRODUCTION

Dopaminergic drugs, often used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, have several pharmacological effects that may increase or decrease the risk of falling and fractures. Thus, the effect of dopaminergic medication on the risk of hip/femur fractures is not clear. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of dopaminergic medication and concomitant use of psychotropics on the risk of hip/femur fractures taking into account the timing of dopaminergic drug use.

METHODS

A population-based case-control study in the PHARMO database was conducted for the period 1991 to 2002. Cases were patients aged 18 years and older with a first hip or femur fracture and matched to four control patients by year of birth, sex and geographical region.

RESULTS

The study population included 6,763 cases and 26,341 controls. Current use of dopaminergic drugs (1-30 days before the index date) was associated with an increased risk of hip/femur fractures compared to never use (OR(adj) 1.76, 95% CI = 1.39-2.22), but this excess risk rapidly dropped to baseline levels when treatment had been discontinued >1 year ago. Concomitant use of antidepressants among current dopaminergic drug users further increased the risk of hip/femur fractures (OR(adj) 3.51, 95% CI = 2.10-5.87) while there was no additional risk with concomitant use of other psychotropics.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the observed association between dopaminergic drugs and fracture risk may not be entirely causal, due to absence of information on the (severity of the) underlying disease, fracture risk assessment may be warranted in elderly users of dopaminergic drugs.

Identification of homogeneous genetic architecture of multiple genetically correlated traits by block clustering of genome-wide associations

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using high-density genotyping platforms offer an unbiased strategy to identify new candidate genes for osteoporosis. It is imperative to be able to clearly distinguish signal from noise by focusing on the best phenotype in a genetic study. We performed GWAS of multiple phenotypes associated with fractures [bone mineral density (BMD), bone quantitative ultrasound (QUS), bone geometry, and muscle mass] with approximately 433,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and created a database of resulting associations. We performed analysis of GWAS data from 23 phenotypes by a novel modification of a block clustering algorithm followed by gene-set enrichment analysis. A data matrix of standardized regression coefficients was partitioned along both axes--SNPs and phenotypes. Each partition represents a distinct cluster of SNPs that have similar effects over a particular set of phenotypes. Application of this method to our data shows several SNP-phenotype connections. We found a strong cluster of association coefficients of high magnitude for 10 traits (BMD at several skeletal sites, ultrasound measures, cross-sectional bone area, and section modulus of femoral neck and shaft). These clustered traits were highly genetically correlated. Gene-set enrichment analyses indicated the augmentation of genes that cluster with the 10 osteoporosis-related traits in pathways such as aldosterone signaling in epithelial cells, role of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and chondrocytes in rheumatoid arthritis, and Parkinson signaling. In addition to several known candidate genes, we also identified PRKCH and SCNN1B as potential candidate genes for multiple bone traits. In conclusion, our mining of GWAS results revealed the similarity of association results between bone strength phenotypes that may be attributed to pleiotropic effects of genes. This knowledge may prove helpful in identifying novel genes and pathways that underlie several correlated phenotypes, as well as in deciphering genetic and phenotypic modularity underlying osteoporosis risk.