A Primary Care Provider's Guide to Bone Health in Spinal Cord-Related Paralysis

Cross-Sectional Study of Knee Bone Mineral Density and Fragility Fractures in Patients with Neurological Injuries and Neuromuscular Disorders

BACKGROUND

Patients with neurological injury and neuromuscular disorders are at increased risk for osteoporosis and fragility fracture. This cross-sectional study investigated whether knee bone mineral density (BMD) correlates with fragility fracture in patients with neurological injury and neuromuscular injuries.

METHODOLOGY

In this retrospective chart review, 435 participants underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for BMD analysis. Distal femur and proximal tibial BMD measurements were performed as per the Toronto protocol. Spine, hip, and forearm DXA was performed following the standards of the International Society of Clinical Densitometry, 2019. Blinded and independent clinical evaluations and laboratory exams were performed. Participants were divided into groups with and without fracture confirmed by clinical history and radiography.

RESULTS

Distal femur and proximal tibial BMD were measured in 288/435 (66.2%) participants. Osteoporosis was noted in 138/288 (47.9%) patients. Fractures occurred in 95/435 participants (21.8%), including one fracture in 64/435 participants (14.7%), two fractures in 24/435 participants (5.5%), and greater than two fractures in 7/435 patients (1.6%). Fractures were noted in 23/54 (42.6%) participants with post-polio syndrome, 21/66 with brain injury (31.8%), 3/10 (30%) with brain injury and spinal cord injury, 24/98 (24.5%) with neuromuscular disorders, 9/52 (17.3%) with nontraumatic spinal cord injury, and 15/155 (9.7%) with traumatic spinal cord injury. The median BMD of the knee and hip was lower in participants with fractures. Distal femur and proximal tibial BMD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.45) remained independently associated with fragility fracture in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

Proximal tibial and distal femur BMD measurements offered additional information on neurological injury and neuromuscular disorders.

Vertebral insufficiency fractures as a cause of autonomic dysreflexia in a patient with chronic tetraplegia: A case report

Context: Osteoporosis is a known complication in spinal cord injury patients and can result in an increased risk of fractures and associated morbidity. Bone demineralization is most common in long bones below the level of injury. The pathogenesis is complex and not fully understood.Findings: We present the case of a 65-year-old male with chronic spinal cord injury who was found to have multiple vertebral compression fractures causing autonomic dysreflexia and new onset spasticity.Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: This case illustrates the need for improved awareness, diagnosis, and prevention for this disease process.