Objective:To examine post-burn bone loss and determine whether it was local or diffuse. Methods: Thirty-six patients with burn injuries were investigated, and the total body surface area of the burns and their locations were recorded. The bone mineral densities of the lumbar 1-4 vertebrae, bilateral distal forearm, and bilateral proximal femur of the patients were recorded, and these were compared with the measurements of the non-burnt extremity. Results: No statistically significant correlations existed among the total body surface area of the burns, their severity and the z-scores. In addition, when comparing the z-scores of the burnt extremity with those of the non-burnt extremity, no statistically significant difference was found (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, a remarkable decrease in bone mass occurred during the second month following the burn injuries. The post-burn bone loss could not be correlated with the severity of the burns, but these injuries caused systemic bone loss.
ReSuMenObjetivo: Examinar la pérdida ósea después de una quemadura y determinar si era local o difusa. Métodos: Se investigó a 36 pacientes con lesiones por quemaduras y se registró el área total de la superficie del cuerpo con quemaduras y sus ubicaciones. Las densidades minerales óseas de las vértebras lumbares 1-4, del antebrazo distal bilateral, y del fémur proximal bilateral de los pacientes, fueron registradas y comparadas con las mediciones de la extremidad sin quemaduras. Resultados: No existieron correlaciones estadísticamente significativas entre el área total de la superficie corporal de las quemaduras, su severidad y las puntuaciones z. Además, al comparar las puntuaciones z de la extremidad quemada con las de la extremidad no quemada, no se encontró ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p > 0.05).