Evaluation of bone mineral density, microarchitecture, and detection of fractures on young patients living with human immunodeficiency virus: when and how to screen?

• Published in: Endocrine Vol. 83; no. 1; pp. 214 - 226
• Main Authors: Gehrke, Bárbara, Farias, Maria Lucia Fleiuss, Wildemberg, Luiz Eduardo, Ferraiuoli, Giovanna Ianini, Ribeiro, Valéria, Bosgnoli, Rogério, Paranhos Neto, Francisco de Paula, de Mendonça, Laura Maria Carvalho, Madeira, Miguel, Coelho, Maria Caroline Alves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.01.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Body mass index; Bone density; Bone diseases; Bone mineral density; Bone strength; Bone turnover; Cancellous bone; Collagen; Computed tomography; Diabetes; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Endocrinology; Fractures; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immune system; Internal Medicine; Life span; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; multidisciplinary; Original Article; Osteoporosis; Parathyroid hormone; Quality of life; Risk assessment; Science; Spine (lumbar); Tibia; Vertebrae; VFA; HR-pQCT; Bone density; Fractures; HIV; DXA
• ISSN: 1559-0100; 1355-008X; 1559-0100
• DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03501-9

Purpose People living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) developed higher life expectancy along with chronic bone disease over the past years. Our purpose is to evaluate bone mineral density, bone microarchitecture and fractures in young PLWH and understand the disease’s contribution to bone derangements and fracture risk. Methods Eighty-one HIV-infected and 54 control young (20–50 years) male and female subjects were enrolled in this study. Methods for patient evaluation included DXA-VFA (dual energy X-rays and vertebral fracture assessment), HR-pQCT (high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography), biochemistry and FRAX. Results Fifty participants from each group completed all exams. Median age was 40 (25–49) vs. 36.5 (22–50) for the HIV and control groups, respectively ( p 0.120). Ethnicity, body mass index, serum phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, PTH and CTX were similar between groups, although ALP and OC suggested higher bone turnover in PLWH. VFA identified morphometric vertebral fractures in 12% of PLWH. PLWH had lower values for lumbar spine areal BMD and Z score, volumetric BMD, trabecular bone fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular number measured at the distal tibia by HR-pQCT; as a consequence, trabecular separation and heterogeneity were higher (all p  < 0.05). The FRAX-estimated risk for hip and major osteoporotic fractures was statistically higher in PLWH ( p  < 0.001). Conclusion Our results confirm severe bone impairment and fractures associated with HIV in young patients. Thus, we developed a screening protocol for young PLWH to detect bone fragility, reduce skeletal disease progression and morbimortality, decrease fracture risk, and increase quality of life.