Bone Mineral Density and Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures in Women with Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Osteoporosis and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are two important age-related diseases, which have an influence on pain, physical activity, disability, and mortality. The aim of this research was to study the parameters of bone mineral density (BMD), frequency, and 10-year probability of osteoporotic fractures (OFs) in females with Parkinson’s disease (PD). We have examined 113 postmenopausal women aged 50–74 years old which were divided into 2 groups (I, control group (CG), n = 53 and II, subjects with PD, n = 60). Bone mineral density of lumbar spine, femoral neck, distal radius, and total body were measured, and quantity and localization of vertebral deformities were performed by the vertebral fracture assessment (VFA). Ten-year probability of OFs was assessed by Ukrainian version of FRAX®. It was established that BMD of lumbar spine, femoral neck, distal radius, and total body in PD women was reliably lower compared to CG. The frequency of OFs in PD subjects was higher compared to CG (51.7 and 11.3%, respectively) with prevalence of vertebral fractures (VFs) in women with PD (52.6% among all fractures). 47.4% of the females had combined VFs: 74.2% of VFs were in thoracic part of the spine and 73.7% were wedge ones. Ten-year probability of major OFs and hip fracture were higher in PD women compared to CG with and without BMD measurements. Inclusion of PD in the FRAX calculation increased the requirement of antiosteoporotic treatment from 5 to 28% (without additional examination) and increased the need of additional BMD measurement from 50 to 68%. Anterior/posterior vertebral height ratios (Th8-Th11) measured by VFA in PD females without confirmed vertebral deformities were lower compared to indices of CG. In conclusion, women with PD have lower BMD indices, higher rate of osteoporosis, and risk of future low-energy fractures that should be taken into account in the assessment of their osteoporosis risk and clinical management.

Dopamine Suppresses Osteogenic Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells via AKT/GSK-3β/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

“…Abnormal DA levels are related to neurological and mental disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Schizophrenia (SZ). Studies have shown that patients with PD or SZ had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis compared to their healthy controls [ 10 – 12 ]. These findings raise the possibility that DA might play a role in bone homeostasis.…”

Effects of Dopamine on stem cells and its potential roles in the treatment of inflammatory disorders: a narrative review

“…Therefore, it is of great clinical value to study the mechanism regulating the function of BMSCs. Recent clinical studies have shown that compared with healthy controls, patients with Parkinson's disease have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis [ 53 – 55 ]. These findings suggest that dopamine may play a crucial role in bone homeostasis.…”

Unmet Needs of Women Living with Parkinson's Disease: Gaps and Controversies

“…There is an overall lack of robust research into lifestyle interventions for PD management and even less so regarding gender. Women with PD have higher levels of osteoporosis 89 with lower bone mineral density and higher fracture risk versus matched controls, 90 and greater weight loss earlier in the disease course 91 . Women with PD should be screened for osteopenia/osteoporosis on diagnosis with PD and referred to a dietitian and a physiotherapist as part of a multidisciplinary team so that appropriate interventions can be undertaken to prevent malnutrition and bone deterioration.…”