Sickle Cell Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sickle Cell Anemia, including details on genetics, causes, symptoms.

Markers of bone turnover are associated with growth and development in young subjects with sickle cell anemia.

Fung EB, Kawchak DA, Zemel BS, Rovner AJ, Ohene-Frempong K, Stallings VA

Department of Hematology, The Children's Hospital & Research Center, Oakland, California, USA. efung@mail.cho.org

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have low bone mass though bone turnover has not been well described. In this study, growth and pubertal development were assessed twice, 1 year apart, in 80 young subjects with type-SS SCA, while whole body bone mineral content (BMC) and density where measured in a subset (n = 46). Markers of bone turnover were measured at the second visit. Bone formation (alkaline phosphatase) was elevated, whereas bone resorption (deoxypyridinoline) was decreased compared to published data in healthy children. Markers of bone turnover correlated with growth velocity and pubertal development but not with changes in bone mass.

Published 15 January 2008 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 50(3): 620-3.
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