Bone health in children with congenital heart disease

Marta Erlandson; Chantelle Baril; Shonnah Runalls; Dana Lahti; Kristi Wright; Chrissa Pockett; Tim Bradley; Ashok Kakadekar; Scott Pharis; Corey Tomczak

doi:10.1530/boneabs.7.P14

Objectives: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) have been found to have markedly low levels of physical activity (PA) compared to typically developing peers. It is well known that PA during the growing years has a beneficial effect on bone health with the most active children laying down more bone than their less active peers. If children with CHD are avoiding PA, current and future bone health may be compromised; however, very little is known of the bone health of children with CHD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the bone density and estimated strength of children with CHD.

Methods: Thirty-four children, 7–16 years of age (11.12±2.5), with CHD were age and sex matched to 25 typically developing peers. Anthropometric measures of height and weight were obtained. PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children/Adolescents and accelerometry. Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were obtained at the total body and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans of the non-dominant radius and tibia were acquired. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare anthropometric and PA data. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare DXA and pQCT measured bone mineral density (BMD), content (BMC), area, and estimated strength (pQCT only) between children with CHD and controls while controlling for: sex, age, height, weight, and PA levels.

Results: There were no differences in anthropometric measures and PA levels between children with CHD and controls (P>0.05). Once age, sex, height, weight and PA were accounted for, there were no significant differences between children with CHD and controls in DXA measured total body aBMD, BMC and area (P>0.05). Children with CHD had significantly lower total BMC (7%), cortical area (7%) and estimated strength (16%) at the tibial shaft (P<0.05). There were no differences in the remaining pQCT variables (P>0.05).

Conclusion: In contrast to previous research we did not find any difference in PA levels between children with CHD and their typically developing peers. Children with CHD had impaired bone parameters at the tibial shaft. Despite similar levels of PA children with CHD may have comprised bone strength at the tibia.

Disclosure: The authors declared no competing interests.

Bone Abstracts

P14