Differences in Bone Associated with Race in Young Adults

Sundeep Khosla, M.D.

Consultant, Endocrinology
Rochester campus of Mayo Clinic

Abstract

Osteoporosis and fractures are major problems faced by an increasingly aging population. For years, osteoporosis was primarily associated with Caucasian women, limiting the amount of data available for understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of this disease in minorities. Thus, there exist a number of osteoporotic-related health disparities, and the goal of this proposal is to begin to understand race-specific differences in bone metabolism and microarchitecture contributing to the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. Bone mass and structure will be evaluated in African American and Hispanic women and men, then compared to existing data in their Caucasian counterparts. Bone-imaging scans using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and high resolution peripheral quantitated computed tomography (HRpQCT, XtremeCT) will be used to determine changes in bone structure and microarchitecture. BMD of total body, forearm, hip and AP spine obtained by DXA and XtremeCT will allow for cortical and trabecular measurements to detect changes in bone microstructure at the distal radius and tibia. Bone turnover markers will also be measured and related to the bone structural parameters. This study will provide a better understanding of the differences in bone parameters between three racial populations. Given the disparity in fracture rates among various populations, this work will have important implications in our understanding of osteoporosis in different racial groups and ultimately, in its management.