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Vertebral fragility and structural redundancy.

ABSTRACT: The mechanisms of age-related vertebral fragility remain unclear, but may be related to the degree of "structural redundancy" of the vertebra; ie, its ability to safely redistribute stress internally after local trabecular failure from an isolated mechanical overload. To better understand this issue, we performed biomechanical testing and nonlinear micro-CT-based finite element analysis on 12 elderly human thoracic ninth vertebral bodies (age 76.9?±?10.8 years). After experimentally overloading the vertebrae to measure strength, we used nonlinear finite element analysis to estimate the amount of failed tissue and understand the failure mechanisms. We found that the amount of failed tissue per unit bone mass decreased with decreasing bone volume fraction (r(2) ?=?0.66, p?

SUBMITTER: Fields AJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3440513 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Vertebral fragility and structural redundancy.

Fields Aaron J AJ Nawathe Shashank S Eswaran Senthil K SK Jekir Michael G MG Adams Mark F MF Papadopoulos Panayiotis P Keaveny Tony M TM

Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 20121001 10

The mechanisms of age-related vertebral fragility remain unclear, but may be related to the degree of "structural redundancy" of the vertebra; ie, its ability to safely redistribute stress internally after local trabecular failure from an isolated mechanical overload. To better understand this issue, we performed biomechanical testing and nonlinear micro-CT-based finite element analysis on 12 elderly human thoracic ninth vertebral bodies (age 76.9 ± 10.8 years). After experimentally overloading ...[more]

PMID: 22623120

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Project description:Patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures are at increased risk of hip fracture. In a cohort of hip fracture patients, many had previous imaging studies showing incidental vertebral fractures. Fifty-four percent of fractures were not reported by the radiologist, highlighting a missed opportunity for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis, thereby preventing further fractures.Patients with osteoporotic vertebral fragility fractures (VFFs) are at increased risk of future fractures, including hip fractures. Treating osteoporosis in these patients has the potential to reduce the risk of subsequent hip fractures, which are associated with high morbidity, mortality and cost. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated the reporting and follow-up of VFFs evident on imaging by radiologists at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.Data from the local Fracture Liaison Service was used to case-find all incident hip fractures from 2013 presenting to the trust. We then identified patients who had also undergone a radiological procedure that included the thoracic and/or lumbar spine in the previous 6 years. All identified radiological images were re-examined for the presence of VFFs using the Genant semi-quantitative method.Seven hundred and thirty-two patients over the age of 50 with a hip fracture in 2013 were identified. One hundred and fifty-seven patients had previously undergone a radiological procedure involving the spine, and VFFs were identified in 65/157 (41%). Of these, only 30/65 (46%) were reported by a radiologist when the fracture was first visible. 32/35 (91%) of unreported VFFs were from imaging reported by non-musculoskeletal radiologists. Only 16/65 (25%) of patients with a VFF were documented as being on bone-specific therapy at the time of hip fracture.Our study highlights the under-reporting of osteoporotic vertebral fractures, particularly by non-musculoskeletal radiologists. Better systems for reporting and referring osteoporotic VFFs are necessary to increase the number of patients receiving appropriate osteoporosis treatment.

Project description:IntroductionVertebral fragility fractures (VFFs) are the most common type of osteoporotic fracture found in older people, resulting in increasing morbidity and excess mortality. These fractures can cause significant pain, requiring admission to hospital. Vertebroplasty (VP) is effective in reducing pain and allowing early mobilisation in hospitalised patients. However, it may be associated with complications such as cement leakage, infection, bleeding at the injection site and fracture of adjacent vertebrae. It is also costly and not readily accessible in many UK hospitals.A recent retrospective study reported that spinal medial branch nerve block (MBNB), typically used to treat facet arthropathy, had similar efficacy in terms of pain relief compared with VP for the treatment of painful VFF. However, to date, no study has prospectively compared MBNB to VP. We therefore propose a prospective feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare the role of MBNB to VP, in hospitalised older patients.MethodA parallel, two-arm RCT with participants allocated on a 1:1 ratio to either standard care-VP or MBNB in hospitalised patients aged over 70 with acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Follow-up will be at weeks 1, 4 and 8 post intervention. The primary objective is to determine the feasibility and design of a future trial, including specific outcomes of recruitment, adherence to randomisation and safety. Embedded within the trial will be a health economic evaluation to understand resource utilisation and implications of the intervention and a qualitative study of the experiences and insights of trial participants and clinicians. Secondary outcomes will include pain scores, analgesia requirements, resource use and quality of life data.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was granted by the Yorkshire & the Humber Research Ethics Committee (reference 21/YH/0065). AVERT (Acute VertEbRal AugmentaTion) has received approval by the Health Research Authority (reference IRAS 293210) and is sponsored by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (reference 21HC001). Recruitment is ongoing. Results will be presented at relevant conferences and submitted to appropriate journals for publication on completion.Trial registration numberISRCTN18334053.

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Vertebral fragility and structural redundancy.

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Vertebral fragility and structural redundancy.

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