OSTEOPENIA AND OSTEOPOROSIS IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND YOUTH

Abstract

Objective. To determine the prevalence of low bone tissue mineral density (BTMD) in Novosibirsk city population of children, adolescents, and youth.

Material and Methods. The study population included 1524 individuals between 6 and 20 years of age. BTMD was evaluated by dual x-ray absorbptiometry (DEXA) with bone densitometer and using pediatric software version and US sex and age reference database.

Results. Diagnostic screening using x-ray bone densitometry determined 28.6 % prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis among practically healthy residents of Novosibirsk city at the age of 6–20 years. Osteopenia (a moderate decrease in BTMD), was observed in 371 (23.8 %) subjects among all examined, being more frequent in girls than in boys (13.4 % and 10.4 %, respectively), though this difference is not reliable. Osteoporosis (a high-grade decrease in BTMD) was observed in 74 (4.8 %) subjects, they were 56 (3.6 %) girls and 18 (1.1 %) boys. These findings do not exceed parameters obtained in other regions of Russia, which are within 10–30 % depending on the age of examined subjects.

Conclusion. Persistent stable tendency to a rise in prevalence of low BTMD among child’s population of Russia suggests the inefficacy of currently practiced measures for prevention of osteoporosis and its complications. One of the promising directions is a development of principles for risk group formation basing on the analysis of clinical, biochemical, and densimetric findings with regard for prognostic value of each risk factor or their combination.