Severity of reduced bone mineral density and risk of fractures in long-term survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma undergoing guideline-recommended surveillance for bone health.

BACKGROUND: Survivors of childhood leukemia/lymphoma are at increased risk for reduced bone mineral density (BMD). The authors sought to determine the frequency of reduced BMD detected by off-therapy surveillance, factors associated with reduced BMD, and the association of reduced BMD with fractures. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included childhood leukemia/lymphoma survivors attending 2 survivorship clinics who received guideline-recommended BMD surveillance ≥2 years post-therapy with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (from January 1, 2004 to August 31, 2016). Lumbar spine BMD z-scores were height-for-age-adjusted. Low and very low BMD were >1 SD and >2 SDs below norms, respectively. Treatment, chronic conditions, and fractures were abstracted from medical records. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of low BMD with patient/treatment factors and fractures. RESULTS: In total, 542 patients (51.5% female) with a mean age of 15.5 years (range, 4.4-52.2 years) who were 6 years post-therapy (range, 2.0-35.1 years) were evaluated, including 116 who reported post-therapy fractures. Lumbar spine low BMD was identified in 17.2% of survivors, and very low BMD was identified in 3.5% of survivors, but frequencies varied considerably between subgroups; 10.8% of survivors aged 15 to 19 years at diagnosis had very low BMD. In multivariable analyses, older age at diagnosis, white race, and being underweight were significantly associated with low BMD. Survivors with low BMD had greater odds of nondigit fractures (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.7) and specifically long-bone fractures (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5-4.7). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of childhood leukemia/lymphoma survivors undergoing guideline-recommended dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry surveillance, patients who were older at diagnosis, white, and underweight were at the highest risk for lumbar spine low BMD. Low BMD was associated with a greater risk of fractures, emphasizing the clinical importance of surveillance.

Establishment of Reporter Lines for Detecting Fragile X Mental Retardation (FMR1) Gene Reactivation in Human Neural Cells.

Human patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide unique opportunities for disease modeling and drug development. However, adapting hiPSCs or their differentiated progenies to high throughput assays for phenotyping or drug screening has been challenging. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and a major genetic cause of autism. FXS is caused by mutational trinucleotide expansion in the FMR1 gene leading to hypermethylation and gene silencing. One potential therapeutic strategy is to reactivate the silenced FMR1 gene, which has been attempted using both candidate chemicals and cell-based screening. However, molecules that effectively reactivate the silenced FMR1 gene are yet to be identified; therefore, a high throughput unbiased screen is needed. Here we demonstrate the creation of a robust FMR1-Nluc reporter hiPSC line by knocking in a Nano luciferase (Nluc) gene into the endogenous human FMR1 gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method. We confirmed that luciferase activities faithfully report FMR1 gene expression levels and showed that neural progenitor cells derived from this line could be optimized for high throughput screening. The FMR1-Nluc reporter line is a good resource for drug screening as well as for testing potential genetic reactivation strategies. In addition, our data provide valuable information for the generation of knockin human iPSC reporter lines for disease modeling, drug screening, and mechanistic studies. Stem Cells 2017;35:158-169.

Opsismodysplasia: Phosphate Wasting Osteodystrophy Responds to Bisphosphonate Therapy.

UNLABELLED: We present two siblings affected with opsismodysplasia (OPS), a rare skeletal dysplasia caused by mutations in the inositol polyphosphate phosphatase-like 1 gene. The skeletal findings include short stature with postnatal onset micromelia, marked platyspondyly, squared metacarpals, delayed skeletal ossification, metaphyseal cupping, and postnatal micromelia. Respiratory compromise, delayed ambulation, and progressive lower extremity deformities are described. The severity of findings is variable. Renal phosphate wasting is associated with severe bone demineralization and a more severe phenotype. This report represents the first described cases of opsismodysplasia treated with intravenous bisphosphonate (pamidronate). Surgical management for lower extremity deformities associated with OPS is also reviewed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV Case series.

Bone health in children with neuromuscular disorders.

This paper provides a broad review of bone health issues in children with neuromuscular diseases (NMD). As Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common neuromuscular disease of childhood, there is a strong emphasis on this. This paper reviews the incidence of fractures, the degree of the reduced bone mineral density, the risk factors associated with this common problem, and the non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment options. Recommendations for monitoring and treatment are provided.

Evaluation of short stature in children.

Normal growth in children is a reflection of general health and is the result of a complex interaction between genetic, nutritional, and hormonal factors. From conception through infancy, growth is mostly driven by maternal nutrition and the in utero environment. Genetic factors, growth and thyroid hormones, ghrelin, and sex steroids have a more prominent influence later. Normal growth is not linear; it is marked by periods of growth spurts, particularly during puberty, separated by periods of slow or immeasurable growth. There is often a period of growth deceleration observed before the onset of puberty, with maximal pubertal growth spurts occurring at Tanner stage III for girls and Tanner stage IV for boys. This is caused primarily by the combined effect of the increased amplitude of growth hormone pulses and sex steroids. Short stature (SS), which is the subject of this review, is defined as a length or height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender, which corresponds to a percentile below 2.5%. Taking a thorough patient history and completing a comprehensive physical examination are some of the most important diagnostic tools for pediatricians to use in the diagnosis of SS, and in making appropriate referrals as needed.

Metabolic control and bone health in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk, yet the etiologies remain elusive. Early detection of derangements in bone biomarkers during adolescence could lead to timely recognition. In adolescents with T1D, we evaluated the relationships between metabolic control, BMD, and bone anabolic and turnover markers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 57 adolescent subjects with T1D who had HbA1c consistently ≥ 9% (Poor Control, PC n = 27) or < 9% (Favorable Control, FC n = 30) for two years prior to enrollment. Subjects had T1DM for at least three years and were without diabetes complications, known celiac disease, or other chronic diseases. RESULTS: There were no differences between HbA1c groups in BMD, components of the IGF system, or 25-hydroxyvitamin D status. The prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D abnormalities was similar to that seen in the general adolescent population. Few patients met the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D or calcium. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide no evidence of association between degree of metabolic control and BMD in adolescents with T1D. Adolescents with T1D have a high prevalence of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D abnormalities. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the predictive value of vitamin D abnormalities on fracture risk.