Relationship between regional bone density measurements and the time since injury in adults with spinal cord injuries.

Abstract

To determine the bone mineral density (BMD) of the legs, arms, and trunk region of a group of adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to determine the relationship between regional BMD values and the time since injury. BMD measurements were determined by total-body, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans and percentage values (percentage-matched BMD), based on manufacturer-supplied normative data for age, sex, body weight, and ethnic group. The relationship between percentage-matched BMD values and time since injury was determined by linear regression analyses. Research laboratories in a university setting. Twenty-nine subjects (21 men, 8 women; mean age, 38.5 y) who had sustained an SCI a mean of 10.6 years earlier (range, 0.6-35.3 y). Not applicable. The relationship between percentage-matched BMD values and the time since injury. There was a significant inverse relationship between percentage-matched BMD leg (r2 = -.76), arm (r2 = -.45), and trunk (r2 = -.38) values and the log of time since injury. Despite the varying levels of SCI and other relevant BMD contributing factors, the regional percentage-matched BMD values were significantly inversely related to the log of time since injury.