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Carboxy terminal collagen crosslinks as a prognostic risk factor for fall-related fractures in individuals with established spinal cord injury

Jørgensen V, Slettahjell HB, Skavberg Roaldsen K, Kostovski E

Spinal cord, 2019

106 participants

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To study associations between specific bone turnover markers and fall-related fractures in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

SETTING: Rehabilitation Hospital.

METHODS: Carboxy terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), type-1 procollagen N-terminal (P1NP), albumin-corrected calcium (Ca2+), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D were examined in a cohort of 106 participants with SCI at least 1 year post injury. The participants were followed for 1 year monitoring fall-related fractures.

RESULTS: In total, 29 out of 106 reported having experienced a fall-related fracture post-injury at baseline, and 5 out of 100 had experienced a fall-related bone fracture during the 1 year follow-up. Our main findings were that high levels of serum CTX increased the odds of being in the fracture group, and that 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25 OHD) levels, Ca2+, PTH or P1NP were not associated with being in the fracture group.

CONCLUSIONS: We here present an association between high-CTX plasma levels at baseline and fall-related fractures reported during a 1-year follow-up among individuals with established SCI. We recommend studies with larger SCI populations before further clinical implications can be drawn.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 106 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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