| Skeletal Involvement |
| This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. Scleroderma (SD) affects everyone differently. Just because something is listed here does not mean an individual patient will ever experience it. See Disclaimer. |
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| Bone Resorption in Scleroderma |
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| Overview |
| Bone Resorption is the absorption of the bone by large multi-nucleated cells called osteoclasts. Resorption occurs normally in very small amounts, but can claim large quantities of bone in circumstances where normal physical weight-bearing stress is absent, such as bed rest or exposure to microgravity. The loss of calcium is associated with resorption of bone. EverythingBio.com. |
| In scleroderma, bone resorption may occur wiht the bones at the tips of the fingers being reabsorbed into the body. In some cases, the tips of the fingernails become attached to the skin. See Scleroderma Photos. |
| Osteoporosis occurs when the rate of bone resorption exceeds the rate of bone formation creating "porous bones." Most cases of osteoporosis occur as an acceleration of this normal aging process. The condition can also be caused by other disease processes or prolonged use of certain medications that result in bone loss. Answers.com. (Also see: Osteoporosis) |
| Bone Resorption of the Mandible (Lower Jaw). Scleroderma can loosen teeth by causing the ligament around the teeth to expand due to collagen deposition. When the ligament expands, the teeth are less supported by bone structure. Dental implants work well in these instances. ISN |
| Acroosteolysis |
| Acroosteolysis is a condition with congenital and acquired forms causing recurrent ulcers in the fingers and toes. It is characterized by bone resorption in the fingers and toes. WrongDiagnosis.com. |
| Radiological Hand Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis. Flexion contracture (27%), calcinosis (23%), acroosteolysis (22%), arthritis (18%) were the main features of radiological hand involvement in this series of patients with SSc. Calcinosis and acroosteolysis were together associated with vascular digital and systemic complications, which emphasize the implications of vascular injury in such lesions. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 Aug. (Also see: Calcinosis) |
| External Causes |
| The Effects of Medications on Bone. Corticosteroids and cancer chemotherapeutic agents generally affect bone adversely and increase fracture. J Am Acad Orthop Surg, Vol 15, No 8, August 2007, 450-460. (Also see: Medications) |
| Physiological Causes |
| Calcium And Vitamin D May Not Be The Only Protection Against Bone Loss. In this study, we demonstrated that adding alkali in pill form reduced bone resorption and reduced the losses of calcium in the urine over a three month period. Science Daily. 12/04/08. |
| Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, and Acroosteolysis in Systemic Sclerosis. Low levels of vitamin D may reflect silent malabsorption and might be a risk factor for secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone resorption. Y. Braun-Moscovici. J Rheumatol. Oct 1 2008. (Also see: Vitamin D Deficiency and Calcinosis) |
| Treatments |
| Bone-repairing stem cell jab hope. Doctors may soon be able to patch up damaged bones and joints anywhere in the body with a simple shot in the arm. The injection would use the patient's own stem cells, harvested from their bone marrow. BBC News. 04/06/09. |
| Injectable artificial bone developed. Artificial 'injectable bone' that flows like toothpaste, and hardens in the body. This new regenerative medicine technology provides a scaffold for the formation of blood vessels and bone tissue, and can also deliver stem cells directly to the site of bone repair. J Goldenfein. Cosmos Online. 12/11/08. (Also see: Osteoporosis) |
