IMPACT OF CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE ON BONE DENSITY IN CHILDREN: A DEXA SCAN STUDY
TL;DR
According to the DEXA scan Z-scores, bone mineral density was significantly lower among children with CLD, and was correlated with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the duration of disease.
Abstract
Reduced bone density is a common complication of chronic liver disease (CLD) in both adults and children. Factors contributing to bone mineral deficits are dependent on the pathophysiology and severity of the underlying liver disease. This case-control study aims to assess the bone mineral density in children (4-13 years old) suffering from CLD, using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. The study was conducted in the Children’s Welfare Teaching Hospital (Baghdad, Iraq) from 1 November 2023 to 1 November 2024. Bone mineral density has been assessed by DEXA scan for 78 patients and controls in the pediatric age group. The mean Z-score was −0.44 among patients and 0.45 among the control group. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.02). According to the DEXA scan Z-scores, bone mineral density was significantly lower among children with CLD. Bone mineral density was correlated with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the duration of disease. Although there was a difference in Z-score levels across different disease types, this difference did not reach statistical significance.