Bone Mineral Density and Correlation Factors in Normal Children and Adolescence

Oh, Yeon Joung; La, Kyong Suk; Rhie, Young Jun; Lee, Kee Hyoung; Park, Sang Hee; Choung, Ji Tae; Son, Chang Sung

Abstract

PURPOSE:The mean height of Korean children has been increased recently, and new version of growth chart was made in 2007. Nevertheless, the reference value on bone mineral density (BMD) of normal children has not been established yet. The aims of this study were to obtain mean values of BMD in normal children and to investigate correlation between BMD and their relating factors.
METHODS
One hundred thirty five normal children from 6 to 14 years old were included, who were 69 boys and 66 girls. Bone density was measured at the lumbar spine and the proximal femur by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (Discovery A, Hologic, 2004). We assessed bone age, body mass index, bone alkaline phosphatase, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), sex steroid level and analyzed their correlation with BMD.
Results
The result showed a trend of an increase in BMD according to the age in both boys and girls. The mean value of BMD showed the greatest increase during age of 10 to 11 in girls and 12 to 13 in boys. A sudden increase of BMD in both boys and girls occurred during the overt puberty. Bone age and IGF-I level indicated the most significant relating factors of BMD of lumbar spine. The mean values of BMD of this study were similar to the previous studies about BMD of Korean children.
CONCLUSION
The results could be utilized as fundamental data for normal BMD value of Korean children and larger population study is needed.