Quantitative ultrasound (QUS): a useful tool for monitoring bone health in preterm infants?

Preterm infants are at risk of osteopenia and metabolic bone disease (MBD) of prematurity. There is a need for simple, reliable methods to detect and monitor this condition. Aims: The aims were first to describe longitudinal changes in speed of sound (SOS) measured using quantitative ultrasound (QUS...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta Paediatrica 2008-12, Vol.97 (12), p.1625-1630
Main Authors: Fewtrell, MS, Loh, KL, Chomtho, S, Kennedy, K, Hawdon, J, Khakoo, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkaline Phosphatase - blood
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - blood
Body Weight
Bone Diseases, Metabolic - blood
Bone Diseases, Metabolic - diagnostic imaging
Female
General aspects
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Infant, Premature, Diseases - blood
Infant, Premature, Diseases - diagnostic imaging
Male
Medical sciences
Phosphates - blood
Predictive Value of Tests
Sex Factors
Tibia - diagnostic imaging
Ultrasonography - methods
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Summary:Preterm infants are at risk of osteopenia and metabolic bone disease (MBD) of prematurity. There is a need for simple, reliable methods to detect and monitor this condition. Aims: The aims were first to describe longitudinal changes in speed of sound (SOS) measured using quantitative ultrasound (QUS; Sunlight Omnisense, Israel) in preterm neonates: and second to determine whether SOS predicts the development of MBD. Methods: SOS was measured in the tibia in 99 preterm infants (mean (SD)) gestation 29.7 (3.6) weeks; birthweight 1340 (550) g, with longitudinal measurements in 75. SOS z‐scores were generated for gestation and sex. Clinical data were recorded. Results: Baseline SOS (but not SOS z‐score) was positively associated with gestational age. SOS and SOS z‐score fell with age. In multivariate models, peak ALP, minimum phosphate concentrations and markers of illness severity were not predictors of the fall in SOS z‐score, and baseline SOS measurements did not predict the development of high peak ALP or low phosphate. Interpretation: Speed of sound measurements fell with age in all infants, but we found no evidence that this measurement could predict biochemical indicators of MBD. We cannot exclude the possibility that this technique could be useful in monitoring the response to interventions designed to improve bone health in this population.
ISSN:0803-5253
1651-2227
DOI:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00992.x