Are premature babies more at risk of developing osteoporosis? asks Sheffield researcher.
More than 100 Sheffield people in their early twenties who were born prematurely are to take part a study to find out if they are at risk of developing osteoporosis.
Dr Christine Smith, a research associate the Bone Metabolism Group at the Northern General Hospital, has been awarded funding of almost £67,00 over 18 months by the Arthritis Research Campaign (arc), the medical research charity whose headquarters is in Chesterfield, to carry out the study.
It has already been shown that babies born prematurely are smaller and lighter and have less dense bones than babies who go to full-term. But it is not yet known if their bones remain less dense into adulthood.
Dr Smith believes that if her research can establish that premature babies ARE at greater risk of developing osteoporosis when they are older, then mothers could give their premature babies special supplements in their diet help to reduce this risk.
The group of young adults were all born at less than 37 weeks gestation. Full term is 37 to 42 weeks. Many of them would not have survived had they been born a few years earlier, before the development of modern neo-natal care which has resulted in babies as young as 24-25 weeks surviving.
The group were last tested between the ages of eight and ten, when they were found to be smaller and less well co-ordinated than their peers. Now aged 22, they will be recalled to the Northern General to have their bone density measured by DXA scan, and the size of their bones measured by quantitative computer tomography (QCT). Those in the group whose bones are found to be less dense will then be advised about diet and exercise.
The 100 young adults from the original group will be compared against a matched control group of young adults who were born at full term.
Dr Smith's colleague in the Bone Metabolism Group, Dr Jenny Walsh, currently has another arc grant to find out if contraceptives which alter hormonal activity could have an effect on the bone density of teenagers and lead to osteoporosis.
