Summary. Arginine supplementation is helpful in treatment of osteoporosis. Introduction. Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived free radical involved in several biological processes as a bioregulator and as a second messenger. It inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro and regulates bone remodeling. Zolendronic acid has been established as a treatment for post menopausal osteoporosis. Study was done to compare the efficacy of Nitic oxide donor (L-arginine) with that of Zolendronic acid for the treatment of osteoporosis. Method. The study was not designed to compare these two drugs against a placebo, because the beneficial effects of Zolendronic acid in treatment of osteoporosis are well established. Institutional Review Board approvals were obtained. One hundred patients of osteoporosis having T score of −2.5 or more, were randomised to receive L-arginine) or Zolendronic acid. All patients received 1.0 g of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D supplementation per day. In addition Group I patients received L-arginine (2 gm.) per day while Group II patients received zoledronic acid 5 mg i.v. over 15 min. Patient were followed at regular intervals clinically, by biochemical investigations and at one year for DEXA scan. Results. Patients in both groups improved clinically and bio-chemically over one year period. T score on DEXA scan at one year showed improvement in bone density. Average pretreatment T score was −3.65 in group I and −3.52 in group II. At one year followup average T score was −2.9 in group I and −2.6 in group II. Difference was not statistically significant. Discussion. Oral administration of L-arginine in pharmacological doses induces growth hormone and insulin like growth factor-1 responses and stimulates nitric oxide synthesis. Growth hormone and insulin like growth factor-1 are important mediator of bone turnover and osteoblastic bone formation. While nitric oxide is potent inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption because of this dual effect on physiological regulator of bone remodeling. L-arginine could potentially increase bone formation over bone resorption and consequently increase bone mass. Oral supplementation of L-arginine may be novel strategy in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

Objectives

Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of bone mineral density (BMD) have successfully identified multiple susceptibility genes, yet isolated susceptibility genes are often difficult to interpret biologically. The aim of this study was to unravel the genetic background of BMD at pathway level, by integrating BMD GWAS data with genome-wide expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs) data

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline (DPD) as a marker of bone resorption, and Perthes’ disease. There were 39 children with Perthes’ disease in the florid stage who collected first-morning urine samples at regular intervals of at least three months. The level of urinary DPD was analysed by chemiluminescence immunoassay and was correlated with the radiological stage of the disease as classified by Waldenström, and the severity of epiphyseal involvement according to the classification systems of Catterall and Herring. The urinary DPD levels of a group of 44 healthy children were used as a control.

The median urinary DPD/creatinine (CREA) ratio was significantly reduced (p < 0.0001) in the condensation stage and increased to slightly elevated values at the final stage (p = 0.05) when compared with that of the control group. Herring-C patients showed significantly lower median DPD/CREA ratios than Herring-B patients (p = 0.03). The significantly decreased median DPD/CREA ratio in early Perthes’ disease indicated a reduced bone turnover and supports the theory of a systemic aetiology. Urinary levels of DPD may therefore be used to monitor the course of Perthes’ disease.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the functional effects of microRNA (miR)-214-5p on osteoblastic cells, which might provide a potential role of miR-214-5p in bone fracture healing.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to compare the results and complications of tibial lengthening over an intramedullary nail with treatment using the traditional Ilizarov method.

Sex hormones play important roles in the regulation of the proliferation, maturation and death of chondrocytes in the epiphyseal growth plate. We have investigated the effects of male castration on the cell kinetics of chondrocytes as defined by the numbers of proliferating and dying cells. The growth plates of normal rabbits and animals castrated at eight weeks of age were obtained at 10, 15, 20 and 25 weeks of age.

Our study suggested that castration led to an increase in apoptosis and a decrease in the proliferation of chondrocytes in the growth plate. In addition, the number of chondrocytes in the castrated rabbits was less than that of normal animals of the same age.

Objectives

There is increasing application of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) owing to their role in promoting fracture healing and bone fusion. However, an optimal delivery system has yet to be identified. The aims of this study were to synthesise bioactive BMP-2, combine it with a novel α-tricalcium phosphate/poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (α-TCP/PLGA) nanocomposite and study its release from the composite.