PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Pekka Arikoski
AU  - Jorma Komulainen
AU  - Pekka Riikonen
AU  - Jukka S Jurvelin
AU  - Raimo Voutilainen
AU  - Heikki Kröger
TI  - Reduced bone density at completion of chemotherapy for a malignancy
AID  - 10.1136/adc.80.2.143
DP  - 1999 Feb 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 143--148
VI  - 80
IP  - 2
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/80/2/143.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/80/2/143.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child1999 Feb 01; 80
AB  - OBJECTIVES Osteoporosis and pathological fractures occur occasionally in children with malignancies. This study was performed to determine the degree of osteopenia in children with a malignancy at completion of chemotherapy. METHODS Lumbar spine (L2–L4) bone mineral density (BMD; g/cm2) and femoral neck BMD were measured by dual energyx ray absorptiometry in 22 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and in 26 children with other malignancies. Apparent volumetric density was calculated to minimise the effect of bone size on BMD. Results were compared with those of 113 healthy controls and expressed as age and sex standardised mean Z scores. RESULTS Patients with ALL had significantly reduced lumbar volumetric (−0.77) and femoral areal and volumetric BMDs (−1.02 and −0.98, respectively). In patients with other malignancies, femoral areal and apparent volumetric BMDs were significantly decreased (−0.70 and −0.78, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that children with a malignancy are at risk of developing osteopenia. A follow up of BMD after the completion of chemotherapy should facilitate the identification of patients who might be left with impaired development of peak bone mass, and who require specific interventions to prevent any further decrease in their skeletal mass and to preserve their BMD.