Bone Structural Parameters as Measured by 3-Dimensional Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Are Superior in Black Women and Demonstrate Unique Associations With Prior Fracture Versus White Women.

Objective: Black patients fracture less often than White patients at any given bone mineral density (BMD). This may be related to superior bone structure; however, bone structure is challenging to measure in clinical practice. Advances in 3-dimensional (3D) modeling have allowed for the measurement of trabecular and cortical parameters from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

An electronic health record (EHR)-based risk calculator can predict fractures comparably to FRAX: a proof-of-concept study.

Unlabelled: Information in the electronic health record (EHR), such as diagnoses, vital signs, utilization, medications, and laboratory values, may predict fractures well without the need to verbally ascertain risk factors. In our study, as a proof of concept, we developed and internally validated a fracture risk calculator using only information in the EHR.

Purpose: Fracture risk calculators, such as the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, or FRAX, typically lie outside the clinician workflow.

An improved method for generating human spinal cord neural stem cells.

Neural stem cells have exhibited efficacy in pre-clinical models of spinal cord injury (SCI) and are on a translational path to human testing. We recently reported that neural stem cells must be driven to a spinal cord fate to optimize host axonal regeneration into sites of implantation in the injured spinal cord, where they subsequently form neural relays across the lesion that support significant functional improvement. We also reported methods of deriving and culturing human spinal cord neural stem cells derived from embryonic stem cells that can be sustained over serial high passage numbers in vitro, providing a potentially optimized cell source for human clinical trials.

Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone (1-84) in Adults With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism.

Context: Chronic hypoparathyroidism is conventionally treated with oral calcium and active vitamin D to reach and maintain targeted serum calcium and phosphorus levels, but some patients remain inadequately controlled.

Objective: To assess long-term safety and efficacy of recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-84) (rhPTH(1-84)) treatment.

Methods: This was an open-label extension study at 12 US centers.

Visceral Adipose Tissue is Negatively Associated With Bone Mineral Density in NHANES 2011-2018.

Context: The relationship of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with bone mineral density (BMD) is not well established.

Objective: To examine the associations of VAT and SAT with total body BMD in a large, nationally representative population with a wide range of adiposity.

Methods: We analyzed 10 641 subjects aged 20 to 59 years in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018 who had undergone total body BMD and had VAT and SAT measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

The Efficacy and Safety of Abaloparatide-SC in Men With Osteoporosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Abaloparatide significantly increased bone mineral density (BMD) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and decreased risk of vertebral, nonvertebral, and clinical fractures compared with placebo. The Abaloparatide for the Treatment of Men with Osteoporosis (ATOM; NCT03512262) study evaluated the efficacy and safety of abaloparatide compared with placebo in men. Eligible men aged 40 to 85 years with osteoporosis were randomized 2:1 to daily subcutaneous injections of abaloparatide 80 μg or placebo for 12 months.

Management of Hypoparathyroidism.

Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare disorder characterized by hypocalcemia in the presence of a low or inappropriately normal parathyroid hormone level. HypoPT is most commonly seen after neck surgery, which accounts for approximately 75% of cases, whereas approximately 25% have HypoPT due to nonsurgical causes. In both groups of patients, conventional therapy includes calcium and active vitamin D analogue therapy aiming to maintain serum calcium concentration in the low normal or just below the normal reference range and normalize serum phosphorus, magnesium concentrations, and urine calcium levels.

Initial Assessment and Monitoring of Patients with Chronic Hypoparathyroidism: A Systematic Current Practice Survey.

Chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is associated with significant morbidity and impaired quality of life (QoL). The goals of management for chronic HypoPT include improvement in QoL and the prevention of both hypo- and hypercalcemia symptoms and long-term complications. Several groups have provided consensus statements and guidelines on the management of HypoPT; however, due to limited evidence, these recommendations have largely been based on literature reviews, expert opinion, and consensus statements.

Fat Mass Has Negative Effects on Bone, Especially in Men: A Cross-sectional Analysis of NHANES 2011-2018.

Context: The effect of high levels of obesity on bone health are not clear.

Objective: We aimed to examine the associations of body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in a large, nationally representative population with a wide range of body mass index.

Methods: We analyzed 10 814 subjects aged 20-59 from NHANES 2011-2018 who had total body BMD and body composition data.

BMDs Derived From Total Body DXA are Strongly Correlated With Dedicated Hip and Spine BMD and are Associated With Prior Fractures in NHANES.

Dedicated dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip and spine are strongly associated with fractures, but it is not clear whether total body (TB) DXA measures correlate with dedicated DXA or relate to fractures. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from years 2013-2014 and 2017-2018, we assessed Pearson correlations between dedicated and TB DXA measures. Associations with fractures were examined using self-reported prior fractures or fractures found on vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) using logistic regression models while controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and body mass index.

The PARADIGHM (physicians advancing disease knowledge in hypoparathyroidism) registry for patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism: study protocol and interim baseline patient characteristics.

Background: The PARADIGHM registry of adult and pediatric patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism evaluates the long-term safety and effectiveness of treatment with recombinant human parathyroid hormone, rhPTH(1-84), and describes the clinical disease course under conditions of routine clinical practice. In this first report, we detail the registry protocol and describe the baseline characteristics of two adult patient cohorts from an interim database analysis. One cohort after study entry were prescribed rhPTH(1-84), and the other cohort received conventional therapy of calcium and active vitamin D.

PaTH Forward: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Trial of TransCon PTH in Adult Hypoparathyroidism.

Context: Hypoparathyroidism is characterized by insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). TransCon PTH is an investigational long-acting prodrug of PTH(1-34) for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism.

Objective: This work aimed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of daily TransCon PTH in adults with hypoparathyroidism.

Abaloparatide Real-World Patient Experience Study.

Despite the availability of various osteoporosis treatments, adherence remains suboptimal. One contributing factor may be patient experience with therapy. This US, multicenter, combined retrospective chart review and patient questionnaire study included postmenopausal women at high risk for fracture and is the first study to describe real-world patient experience with abaloparatide (ABL) injection.

Association of Vitamin D Levels, Race/Ethnicity, and Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results.

Importance: Deficient (ie, <20 ng/mL) or insufficient (ie, 20 to <30 ng/mL) 25-hydroxyvitamin D (also known as calcifediol) levels are more common in Black individuals than White individuals and are associated with increased coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk. Whether COVID-19 risk is associated with differences in vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL or greater is not known.

Objective: To examine whether COVID-19 test results are associated with differences in vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL or greater, including for White individuals and for Black individuals.

Association of Loneliness With Falls: A Study of Older US Adults Using the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.

Falls represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults, and are more common among those living alone. We aimed to determine if there is an association between loneliness and falls. Participants were surveyed in three waves separated by 5 years.

Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results.

Importance: Vitamin D treatment has been found to decrease the incidence of viral respiratory tract infection, especially in patients with vitamin D deficiency. Whether vitamin D is associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence is unknown.

Objective: To examine whether the last vitamin D status before COVID-19 testing is associated with COVID-19 test results.

Using opportunistic screening with abdominal CT to identify osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with diabetes.

Unlabelled: Opportunistic osteoporosis screening involves measuring the attenuation of L1 vertebrae on abdominal computed tomography (CT), which correlates with DXA T-score. We found that this approach is useful for detecting low bone mass in patients with diabetes and propose L1 attenuation ≤ 135 Hounsfield units (HU) as a threshold for which DXA should be strongly considered.

Introduction: Attenuation of the L1 vertebrae on computer tomography (CT) images done for other reasons ("Opportunistic Osteoporosis Screening") has been found to correlate well with DXA-derived T-score.

Association of Vitamin D Deficiency and Treatment with COVID-19 Incidence.

Importance: Vitamin D treatment has been found to decrease incidence of viral respiratory tract infection, especially in vitamin D deficiency. It is unknown whether COVID-19 incidence is associated with vitamin D deficiency and treatment.

Objective: To examine whether vitamin D deficiency and treatment are associated with testing positive for COVID-19.

Comorbid Conditions and GFR Predict Nonvertebral Fractures in Patients With Diabetes in an Ethnic-Specific Manner.

Context: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of fracture, but it is not clear which diabetes and nondiabetes risk factors may be most important.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate risk factors for incident major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) of the hip, wrist, and humerus in African American (AA), Hispanic (HIS), and Caucasian (CA) subjects with DM.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 18 210 subjects with DM (7298 CA, 7009 AA and 3903 HIS) at least 40 years of age, being followed at a large healthcare system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Diabetes-Related Fracture Risk Is Different in African Americans Compared With Hispanics and Caucasians.

Context: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with a 60% to 90% increased risk of fracture but few studies have been performed in African American and Hispanic subjects.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to quantify the risk of incident major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) of the hip, wrist, and humerus in African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians with DM compared with those with hypertension (HTN).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 19,153 subjects with DM (7618 Caucasians, 7456 African Americans, and 4079 Hispanics) and 26,217 with HTN (15,138 Caucasians, 8301 African Americans, and 2778 Hispanics) aged ≥40 years, treated at a large health care system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Safety and Efficacy of 5 Years of Treatment With Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone in Adults With Hypoparathyroidism.

Context: Conventional hypoparathyroidism treatment with oral calcium and active vitamin D is aimed at correcting hypocalcemia but does not address other physiologic defects caused by PTH deficiency.

Objective: To evaluate long-term safety and tolerability of recombinant human PTH (1-84) [rhPTH(1-84)].

Design: Open-label extension study; 5-year interim analysis.