Vertebral bone density in children: effect of puberty.

TLDR

The study aimed to assess how bone density changes during growth in children by measuring trabecular vertebral density and a cortical bone index with quantitative computed tomography. Bone density was measured by quantitative computed tomography in 101 children, who were stratified into prepubertal, indeterminate, and pubertal age groups. Results showed that pubertal adolescents had significantly higher trabecular and compact vertebral bone density, and that bone density increases markedly during puberty, with no significant correlation to age, sex, weight, height, surface area, or BMI after controlling for puberty.

Abstract

To determine changes in bone density during growth, trabecular vertebral density and an index of spinal cortical bone were measured with quantitative computed tomography in 101 children. The children were divided by age into three groups: prepubertal, indeterminate, and pubertal. Compared with prepubertal children, pubertal adolescents had significantly higher trabecular bone density and more compact bone in the spine (P less than .001). After controlling for puberty, vertebral bone density failed to correlate significantly with age, sex, weight, height, surface area, and body mass index. The results indicate that bone density increases markedly during puberty.