High levels of OPN in postmenopausal women are associated with low BMD, increased levels of bone turnover markers, and osteoporotic vertebral fractures. These findings suggest that OPN might play some role in the pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis and warrant further clinical investigations.

Reduced femoral neck BMD is negatively associated with the presence of AAC in postmenopausal women. The association between BMD and AAC seems to be age-independent, which suggests a common pathogenesis for bone loss and vascular calcifications.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers in men with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to determine their relationship with clinical features and disease activity. Serum carboxi terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), osteocalcin (OC) levels, and BMD of lumbar spine and proximal femur were evaluated in 44 males with AS, 18-60 years of age, and compared with those of 39 age-matched healthy men. Men with AS had a significantly lower BMD at the femoral neck and total hip as compared to age-matched controls (all p < 0.01). Osteopaenia or osteoporosis was found in 59.5% AS patients at the lumbar spine and in 47.7% at the femoral neck. Mean serum levels of OC and CTX were similar in AS patients and controls. There were no significant differences in BMD and bone turnover markers when comparing subgroups stratified according to disease duration or presence of peripheral arthritis. No correlations were found between disease activity markers and BMD or OC and CTX. In a cohort of relatively young males with AS, we found a high incidence of osteopaenia and osteoporosis. Disease activity and duration did not show any significant influence on BMD or serum levels of OC and CTX.

Metformin-associated encephalopathy in maintenance hemodialysis is very rare in literature, till now only three to four cases are published. We report a patient on maintenance hemodialysis from standalone unit presented to us with abnormal neurological signs and symptoms. His medication chart included metformin, which he was taking for quite a long time. Computed tomography brain showed hypointensity in bilateral basal ganglia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain showed hyperintensity in T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences suggestive of Lentiform fork sign. We stopped metformin, and he was continued on regular hemodialysis. He showed dramatic improvement in neurological manifestations. Two months later, we repeated MRI brain, which showed resolution of basal ganglia changes. We should suspect the possibility of this when a diabetic end-stage renal disease presents with unknown etiology of encephalopathy.

AbstractQuantitative ultrasound (QUS) is of increasing interest for evaluation of osteoporosis because, compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), it is portable, less expensive, and radiation-free. The aim of our study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cut-off values of quantitative ultrasound parameters in identifying patients with osteoporosis compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard definition. We performed a cross-sectional investigational study of 73 subjects, and determined total hip and lumbar spine T-scores by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (Prodigy Advance Lunar-GE). The QUS parameters (broadband ultrasound attenuation [BUA], speed of sound, bone mineral density, the stiffness index, and QUS T-score) were determined with Sahara Hologic equipment. The AUC was 0.81 (95% CI 0.67–0.95, p<0.05) for speed of sound (SOS) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.62–0.90, p<0.05) for BUA for the patients with DXA T-scores ≥ −1 DS; the cut-off values were 1542.2 meters per second for SOS and 63.3 dB/MHz for BUA. In patients with DXA T-scores ≤ − 2.5 DS, AUC was 0.80 (95% CI 0.70–0.90, p<0.05) for SOS, and 0.76 (95% CI 0.65–0.87, p<0.05) for BUA. The cut-off values were 1504.95 meters per second for SOS and 49.5 dB/MHz for BUA. Pearson correlation coefficients were positive and statistically significant (> 50%) for all QUS parameters in both groups, (2-tailed, p<0.05). QUS parameters correctly identified normal patients (false negative 34.21% and false positive 2.53%) and those with osteoporosis (false negative 8.55% and false positive 7.82%). The patients with QUS parameters between the cut-off values corresponding to DXA T-scores of −1 SD and − 2.5 SD should be further evaluated by DXA.