Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J E Compston

Publications and source records attributed to J E Compston.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Review article: osteoporosis, corticosteroids and inflammatory bowel disease.

Osteoporosis is a serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease which has not received adequate recognition despite its high prevalence and potentially devastating clinical effects. Its pathogenesis remains poorly defined although corticosteroid therapy and sex hormone deficiency are likely to play a major role. Recent advances in the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis have facilitated early detection of bone loss and identified means by which this may be prevented. Bone density measurements to predict fracture risk and define thresholds for prevention and treatment should be performed routinely in patients with inflammatory disease. Hormone replacement therapy is effective in prevention of bone loss in peri- and post-menopausal patients, but the treatment of younger women and men of all ages requires further study.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1995

Hypercalcaemia in primary oxalosis: role of increased bone resorption and effects of treatment with pamidronate.

Primary oxalosis is a rare congenital disorder characterised by widespread deposition of calcium oxalate crystals throughout the body. In this paper, we describe the development and treatment of hypercalcaemia associated with oxalosis in a child who had undergone renal transplantation, combined liver and kidney transplantation, and two liver retransplant procedures in the past 5 years. Hypercalcaemia occurred on three separate occasions in association with liver dysfunction due to graft rejection; renal function was not grossly impaired and serum intact parathyroid hormone levels were normal. Intravenous pamidronate therapy led to rapid normalisation of the serum calcium concentration on all three occasions. Iliac crest biopsy revealed large numbers of oxalate crystals in the bone marrow, many of which were associated with macrophages, identified using the antibody MAC 387. Bone histomorphometry demonstrated an increase in the percentage eroded surface but no increase in osteoid surface. These observations indicate that hypercalcaemia associated with oxalosis can occur in the absence of renal dysfunction and may result from excessive bone resorption, induced either directly or indirectly by macrophages surrounding oxalate crystals in the bone marrow. Pamidronate therapy was effective in restoring serum calcium to normal.

Bone Resorption↗
PubMed1994

Milk consumption and bone mineral density in middle aged and elderly women.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of historical milk consumption on current bone mineral density at the hip and spine. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SUBJECTS: 284 community based women aged 44-74 years recruited from four general practice age-sex registers in Cambridge. Subjects categorised their average milk consumption up to age 25, from age 25-44, and from age 44 to the present time as > or = 1 glass/day, < 1 glass/day but > 1 glass/week, or < 1 glass/week. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bone mineral density at the hip and spine measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Data on milk consumption up to age 25 years were available for 252 women. There was a consistent upward trend in bone mineral density at all sites with increasing historical milk consumption (total hip, femoral neck, trochanter, intertrochanter, P < 0.05; Ward's triangle, P = 0.005). Adjustment for age and body size did not alter these trends. Milk consumption up to age 25 was a significant independent predictor of bone mineral density at all sites in multiple linear regression analyses controlling for age, body mass index, menopausal status, smoking, ever use of hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, physical activity, and alcohol intake. The effects of milk consumption from age 25-44 and from age 44 to the present were similar in direction though not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Frequent milk consumption before age 25 favourably influences hip bone mass in middle aged and older women.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1994

Effect of long-term tamoxifen therapy on cancellous bone remodeling and structure in women with breast cancer.

The effects of long-term tamoxifen therapy on bone remodeling were studied in 41 women with breast cancer, 22 treated with tamoxifen for a minimum of 15 months (mean 33) and 19 untreated. Transiliac crest bone biopsies were obtained and a comprehensive histomorphometric analysis performed using a semiautomatic image analysis system. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in bone area, osteoid perimeter and area, or osteoid width. Mineral appositional rate, adjusted appositional rate, and mineralization lag time were also similar in the two groups; however, tissue-based bone formation rate was significantly lower in the tamoxifen-treated women (p = 0.05) and the remodeling period significantly longer (p < 0.05). Mean and maximum resorption cavity depth and cavity area were significantly reduced in the tamoxifen-treated patients compared to the untreated patients (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p < 0.03, respectively). Calculated and directly measured indices of cancellous bone structure were similar in the two groups, although the data indicated a trend toward greater connectedness in the tamoxifen-treated group. These data indicate that tamoxifen does not exert an antiestrogenic effect on bone remodeling in the human and are consistent with a weak estrogenic effect.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Parity and bone mineral density in middle-aged women.

A retrospective study was carried out to determine the relationship between parity and bone mineral density (BMD) in middle-aged women. Eight hundred and twenty-five woman aged 41-76 years were recruited from four general practice registers in Cambridge. Subjects were unselected as to their health status. Each subject completed a detailed health questionnaire. Participation rate was 50%. The main outcome measure was BMD measured at the spine (L2-4, n = 825) and hip (neck, intertrochanter and Ward's triangle; n = 817) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using the Hologic QDR-1000 densitometer. It was found that the unadjusted mean BMD was significantly higher at all sites among the parous women (p = 0.031 to < 0.00001), and remained significantly higher at the femoral neck (p = 0.025), intertrochanter (p = 0.001) and Ward's triangle (p = 0.045) after adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). Similar findings were seen after stratifying for potential confounding variables. There was a consistent upward trend of BMD with increasing parity at all sites. Parity remained a significant independent predictor of BMD at all sites after controlling for age, BMI, menopausal status, oral contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy use, smoking status and breast-feeding status in multiple linear regression analyses. There was, on average, a 1.0% increase in BMD per live birth. Our findings therefore suggest a positive relationship between parity and bone mass.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Structural mechanisms of trabecular bone loss in primary osteoporosis: specific disease mechanism or early ageing?

Osteoporosis is characterised by reduced bone mass and disruption of cancellous bone architecture; however, it is unknown whether these changes arise from a specific disease process or represent one extreme of physiological bone loss. We have quantitatively assessed cancellous structure in 35 patients with primary osteoporosis and 41 normal subjects. Cancellous microstructure was assessed by computerised strut analysis and by calculation of trabecular width, separation and number. Node to terminus ratio, node to node and node to loop strut length were significantly decreased in patients with osteoporosis when compared to normal subjects (P < 0.001), whereas terminus count and terminus to terminus strut length were significantly increased (P < 0.001). When two subgroups were matched for age these differences remained highly significant (P < 0.005). However, when two subgroups were matched for cancellous area, no significant differences were observed in any of the structural indices except terminus count (P < 0.05). Mean trabecular width and number were significantly lower and trabecular separation significantly higher in the patients with osteoporosis before and after age-matching but their differences disappeared after matching for cancellous area. Multiple regression analysis confirmed highly significant correlations between cancellous bone area and structural indices after adjustment for age, sex and disease status (P < 0.001). Our data demonstrate that for a given cancellous area, structural changes in primary osteoporosis are similar to those observed during age-related bone loss in normal subjects. These findings support the hypothesis that primary osteoporosis is the result of greater biological ageing rather than a specific disease process and are consistent with evidence from other sources that low bone mass is associated with increased mortality from diseases unrelated to osteoporosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The effect of oestradiol implants on regional and total bone mass: a three-year longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: Although there is evidence from cross-sectional studies that percutaneous oestrogen administration protects against menopausal bone loss, few longitudinal data are available. We have examined the effect of 3 years' treatment with percutaneous oestradiol on total body calcium, spinal trabecular bone mineral density and radial bone mineral content in post-menopausal women. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Twenty-nine post-menopausal women, aged 37-55 years, who had undergone hysterectomy and had experienced the onset of menopausal symptoms within the previous 2 years, were studied before and for 3 years during hormone replacement with oestradiol implants, given at approximately 6-monthly intervals. MEASUREMENTS: Total body calcium was measured by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis, spinal trabecular bone mineral density by quantitative computed tomography and radial bone mineral content by single-photon absorptiometry. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the mean total body calcium, spinal trabecular bone mineral density and radial bone mineral content over the 3 years of the study. The mean (+/- SEM) percentage change per annum was +2.4% (+/- 0.8) for total body calcium (P < 0.01), +3.3% (+/- 0.6) for spinal trabecular bone mineral density (P < 0.001) and +1.2% (+/- 0.6) for radial bone mineral content (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous oestradiol replacement therapy prevents menopausal bone loss and is associated with a sustained and significant increase in total body calcium, spinal trabecular bone mineral density and radial bone mineral content over a 3-year treatment period. Oestradiol implants thus have skeletal effects comparable to those of oral or transdermal oestrogens.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1994

Whole body composition and regional bone mass in women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Reduced bone mass has been reported in adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus but there are few data on bone density in the axial skeleton or on whole body composition in this group. The aim of this study was to determine whether whole body and regional bone mass are normal in middle-aged women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Total and regional bone mass were measured in 24 post-menopausal women aged 43-69 years (mean 56.3) with insulin-dependent diabetes, recruited during routine clinic attendance. Results were compared with those obtained from 24 age and weight-matched community-based post-menopausal women. MEASUREMENTS: Whole body bone mineral content and bone mass in the lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry on a Lunar DPX. RESULTS: Whole body bone mineral content was significantly lower in the diabetic women than in community-based controls (P = 0.02). There was no significant difference between the two groups in whole body bone density or lumbar spine bone density. Mean bone density in the femur was lower in the patient group at all sites assessed (femoral trochanter P = 0.003, femoral neck, P = 0.057). Values for all regional bone density measurements in the diabetic women were within the Lunar reference range (mean +/- 2 SD) and at all sites the mean value was close to 100% of the sex and age-matched reference value. There was no correlation between duration or control of diabetes and bone mass at any site. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in middle-aged women is associated with small reductions in total body bone mineral content and in femoral bone density; the clinical significance of these findings in terms of subsequent fracture risk remains to be established. No evidence was found in this study for a reduction in whole body or lumbar spine bone density.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Bone turnover in non-steroid treated rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether changes in cancellous bone turnover and resorption cavity depth contribute to bone loss in patients with non-steroid treated rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Iliac crest biopsies were obtained from 37 patients with non-steroid treated rheumatoid arthritis, 13 male and 24 female, aged 37-71 years. Bone turnover and resorption cavity characteristics were quantitatively assessed using semiautomated computerised techniques. RESULTS: When compared with age- and sex-matched control values, there was a significant reduction in bone formation rate at tissue level and activation frequency (P < 0.001) in the patient group. The eroded perimeter, mean and maximum eroded depth and cavity area were also significantly reduced (P < 0.01, < 0.005, < 0.01 and < 0.005 respectively). CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate low bone turnover in non-steroid treated rheumatoid arthritis and indicate that the reduced bone mass in these patients is due mainly to a negative remodelling balance.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Reduced bone formation in patients with osteoporosis associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

The pathophysiology of bone loss associated with inflammatory bowel disease has not been clearly defined. In this study we have performed a detailed histomorphometric analysis of iliac crest bone obtained from 19 patients with inflammatory bowel disease in whom a diagnosis of osteoporosis had been made. Eleven subjects were receiving prednisolone at the time of their biopsy. Comparison with control values demonstrated a highly significant reduction in trabecular bone area in the patient group (p < 0.001). Wall width, adjusted appositional rate and bone formation rate were all significantly reduced in the patient group (p < 0.001) and the formation period was significantly increased (p < 0.001). Resorption cavities were slightly smaller in the patient group, differences in maximum cavity depth and cavity length achieving statistical significance (p < 0.005 and p < 0.05 respectively). The mineral appositional rate was significantly reduced in the patients with inflammatory bowel disease (p < 0.001) and the mineralization lag time significantly increased (p < 0.001); however, osteoid area, perimeter and seam width were not significantly different from controls. These results demonstrate that osteoporosis associated with inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by reduced bone formation at the cellular and tissue level; the proportionately greater change in wall width than in resorption cavity depth is consistent with a negative remodelling balance. Although none of the patients had osteomalacia as defined by the criteria of increased osteoid seam width and mineralization lag time, the higher mineralization lag time in the patient group indicates a mild mineralization defect.

Adult↗