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Bone Mineral Density Loss in HCV
Reported by Jules Levin
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DECREASED BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN NONCIRRHOTIC PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC
HEPATITIS B OR C
Ingolf Schiefke 1 , Gudrun Borte 2 , Manfred Wiese 3 , Eva Schenker 1 , A.
Fach 1 Department of Gastroenterology, University of Leipzig; 2 Department of
Radiology, University of Leipzig; 3 Muncipal Hospital `St. Georg', Teaching
Hospital of the University of Leipzig, Germany
Background/Aims: Several previous studies suggest that loss of bone mineral
density is
common among patients with chronic liver diseases. We studied bone mineral
metabolism and
density in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C without cirrhosis.
Methods: Biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density were
measured in 42
consecutive patients. They are suffering from viral hepatitis B (n = 13) and
hepatitis C (n = 29).
Bone mineral density was measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar
spine and
femoral neck. The values were expressed as the T and Z score. Bone metabolism
markers and
hormone profiles were measured.
Results: Bone mineral density was lowered in 29 (69%) of our investigated 42
patients with
chronic hepatitis B or C (femoral neck: 0.711 ± 0.129 g/cm*cm; lumbar spine:
0.951 ± 0.126
g/cm*cm). 8 of the 29 osteopenic patients (28%) have osteoporosis. T-score
value in chronic
Hepatitis C patients was more decreased (femoral neck T: ·1.59 ± 0.98; lumbar
spine T: ·1.10 ±
1.09) compared with patients with chronic hepatitis B (femoral neck T: ·1.31
± 1.00; lumbar spine T: ·0.79 ± 1.29). Serum and urine biochemical markers
were within the normal limits in both groups.
Conclusion: Chronic hepatitis B or C in noncirrhotic patients may induce bone
loss. In view of
our results and according to previous studies this secondary effect of
chronic hepatitis should be further investigated in following studies with
larger number of included patients. Markers of
bonemetabolism and bone mineral density might be used in monitoring these
patients to reduced their risk of developing osteoporosis.
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