Bone Mineral Content Reflects Total Body Calcium in Neonatal Miniature Piglets

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We measured bone mineral content (BMC) in 18 neonatal miniature piglets by single photon absorptiometry, total body calcium (TBC) by total body neutron activation analysis, growth, and serum indices of mineral status (calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase activity). Measurements were begun on day 6, when the piglets were weaned, and were continued to day 19. After weaning, the piglets were assigned randomly to receive one of three diets which differed only in their concentrations of calcium and phosphorus: 100% of the recommended level (diet A), 60% (diet B), and 20% (diet C). No differences were observed among groups during the 19-day study, either in weight gain (48 f 2 g/day) or increment in crown-rump length (2.4 f 0.2 cm/wk). BMC correlated significantly ( p < 0.001) with TBC at 6 (r = 0.83), 13 (r = 0.77), and 19 ( r = 0.93) days. BMC correlated significantly ( p < 0.001) with the ash weight (r = 0.87) and calcium content (r = 0.90) of the corresponding tibial bone segment. Anthropometric parameters and serum indices of mineral status did not predict TBC as accurately as did BMC measurements. We observed a range in BMC measurements in this study that was similar to the range reported for infants in the 1st yr of life. The high correlation between BMC and TBC suggested that BMC is useful in the assessment of mineral status in infants. (Pediatr Res 24:693-695, 1988) Abbreviations BMC, bone mineral content TBC, total body calcium Ca, calcium P, phosphorus AP, alkaline phosphatase CR, crown rump VLBW, very low birth weight Because of mineral deficits accumulated during hospitalization, the bones of VLBW infants often fail to mineralize ade-

Maternal serum retinol and β-carotene concentrations and neonatal bone mineralization: results from the Southampton Women’s Survey cohort

“…Third, although DXA is well validated in adults, there are some problems in children because of their smaller size and tendency to move. Bone and body composition assessment by DXA of miniature piglets has been previously validated ( 26 ); we used specific pediatric software, and movement artifact was minimal. The few scans with excess movement artifact were excluded from the analysis.…”

Intrauterine growth and postnatal skeletal development: findings from the Southampton Women's Survey

“…However, we used specific paediatric software, and movement artefact was modest and uniform across the cohort; those few children with excessive movement were excluded from the analysis. DXA measures of bone mass have been shown to correlate well with whole body calcium content in ashing studies of piglets 18 . The study cohort was a subset of the SWS: mothers whose children underwent DXA scanning were on average taller, more educated and smoked less than mothers of children who did not undergo DXA.…”

“…DXA measures of bone mass have been shown to correlate well with whole body calcium content in ashing studies of piglets. 18 The study cohort was a subset of the SWS: mothers whose children underwent DXA scanning were on average taller, more educated and smoked less than mothers of children who did not undergo DXA. However, our results are based on internal comparisons, so will not have been biased by these differences.…”

“…The short‐term and long‐term coefficients of variation (CV) for adult whole body bone mineral density (BMD) for the DXA instrument were 0.8% and 1.4% respectively. It was not possible to scan neonates repeatedly to establish precision values in the study group; however, the ability of DXA to measure bone mass in small subjects has been demonstrated by Abrams et al 18 using miniature piglets, where the correlation between DXA‐derived BMC and ashed calcium content was 0.90 ( P < 0.001). The radiation exposure to the baby was estimated as a maximum of 8.9 microsieverts for whole body measurement, which is equivalent to around 3 days' exposure to normal background radiation.…”

“…Non-mutually adjusted conditional growth variables were generated to explore whether growth in early pregnancy (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) weeks) was related to that at 2-3 or 3-4 years, when the children appeared to be settling onto a more sustained trajectory. The correlation between conditional change in AC 11-19 weeks and 2-3 years was very low (r = -0.10, P = 0.126); that between absolute femur length at 19 weeks (equivalent to growth from 0 to 19 weeks) and conditional change in crown-heel length from 3 to 4 years also demonstrated little association (r = 0.03, P = 0.581).…”