Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by low bone mass and increased bone fragility, putting patients at risk of fractures, which are major causes of morbidity substantially in older people. Osteoporosis is currently attributed to various endocrine, metabolic and mechanical factors. However, emerging clinical and molecular evidence suggests that inflammation also exerts significant influence on bone turnover, inducing osteoporosis. Numerous proinflammatory cytokines have been implicated in the regulation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and a shift towards an activated immune profile has been hypothesized as important risk factor. Chronic inflammation and the immune system remodelling characteristic of ageing, as well as of other pathological conditions commonly associated with osteoporosis, may be determinant pathogenetic factors. The present article will review the current perspectives on the interaction between bone and immune system in the elderly, providing an interpretation of osteoporosis in the light of inflamm-ageing.

Osteoporosis is a major cause of morbidity in older people. There are a large number of risk factors for the development of senile osteoporosis. However, recent discoveries suggest that these risk factors could exert their effects through immunologically mediated modulation of bone remodelling. Inflamm-ageing itself plays a role in bone remodelling through pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are known to influence osteoclasts and osteoblasts, together with other more recently discovered immunological mediators and transcription factors. Senile osteoporosis is an example of the central role of immune-mediated inflammation in determining bone resorption. In this review, we will discuss the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in the context of immunosenescence.

Background: helicobacter pylori (hp) infection is mainly acquired during childhood; it is recognised as a cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer and it has been classified as a group A carcinogen by World health organization. the exact mode of transmission is as yet, not known. Aim of our study has been to identify risk factors associated with helicobacter pylori infection in a preschool and school population and to confirm if hp antigen in faeces is useful as screening in epidemiological studies. Methods: We interviewed, with questionnaire, 400 children (203 male; age range 3-10 years; mean age 6 years) of 3 different schools and stool samples were collected of all children too. 35 of 400 (8%) children underwent to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of a suspect of upper gastrointestinal disease. Results: stool were collected from 400 school children and 35 of them shown positivity of hp antigen test. A questionnaire about presence of nausea, vomit, recurrent abdominal pain, family size, parent's occupations and education, use of antibiotics, country of birth of child and parents, personal hygiene, breast feeding, presence of the animals was completed. 35 children with positive hp stool antigen test and a suspicious of upper gastrointestinal disease (recurrent abdominal pain, diurnal or nocturnal abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, iron deficiency) underwent to esophagogastroduodenoscopy (egdS) that demonstrated antral gastritis and positive histology and urease rapid test. Conclusions: the results of this study suggest that risk factors for hp infection are low socioeconomics factors, hygiene and living conditions and that hp antigen in faeces is useful as screening test.