ABSTRACT
Objective To study the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in patients with liver cirrhosis following hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection(HBV-liver cirrhosis).Methods Bone mineral density(BMD) was measured by NM-300 sigle-energy X-ray acsorptiometry system for 61 patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis and 30 age-matched healthy controls.Serum levels of calcium regulatory hormones(CRH),1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)_2D_3],parathyroid hormone(PTH),calcitonin(CT),osteocalcin(BGP),interleukin-1?(IL-1?),interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor-necrosis factor-?(TNF-?),and urine level of crosslaps were measured in these patients and controls.Patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis were divided into two groups,osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic,based on their BMD in the ulna and radius,for comparison.Results BMD of the ulna and radius in patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis were significantly lower than those in controls.Serum levels of 1,25(OH)_2D_3 and BGP in patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis were significantly lower than those in controls,and much lower in osteoporotic group than that in non-osteoporotic one.While urine level of crosslaps increased significantly in patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis than in controls, much more increased in the those with osteoporosis than those without osteoporosis.Serum level of 1,25(OH)_2D_3 correlated with serum levels of BGP and BMD of the ulna and radius.Urine level of crosslaps correlated inversely with BMD of the ulan and radius in osteoporotic patients,but not in non-osteoporotic ones.Serum levels of IL-1?,IL-6 and(TNF-?) and urine level of crosslaps increased significantly in patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis than in controls,as well as increased significantly in those with osteoporosis than in those without osteoporosis.Serum levels of IL-1?,IL-6 and TNF-? and urine level of crosslaps correlated inversely with BMD of the ulna,particularly more significantly in those with osteoporosis than those without osteoporosis.Conclusions Two factors,less osteogenesis and more osteolysis,existed in patients with HBV-liver cirrhosis.Serum level of 1,25(OH)_2D_3 and serum levels of IL-1?,IL-6 and(TNF-?) played an important role in weakened bone formation and in increased bone resorption,respectively.Adequate supplementation of vitamin D_3 and reducing serum levels of IL-1?,IL-6 and TNF-? may be very important for prevention and treatment of hepatic bone disease.