Study Of Bone Mineral Density In Chronic Hepatic Diseases

Liver cirrhosis represents the final common pathological pathway for a variety of liver diseases, irrespective of the underlying etiology. So cirrhosis is an irreversible alteration of the liver architecture which consists of diffuse fibrosis of the hepatic parenchyma resulting in nodule formation. Liver cirrhosis is considered as risk factor for the development of osteoporosis, which is a reduction in bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in risk of fracture as normal liver function is required for normal calcium metabolism. It was found that the mean trabecular bone volume and thickness were significantly reduced in both men and women with liver cirrhosis. Our study was conducted to show bone density in liver cirrhosis accordingly 80 chronic liver disease patients, in addition to 10 healthy controls were included in this study. We classified the included patients into 4 groups each of them include 20 patients in that order GI (chronic shistosoma patients), GII (chronic HCV infection), GIII (chronic HBV infection) and GIV (mixed schistosoma and HCV infection). The primary finding of this study was that, bone density is significantly lower in cirrhotic patients. There is more reduction in BMD of patients with deterioration of liver function from Group (A) to (C) according to Child classification. A negative significant correlation between BD and PT, also with bilirubin level has been detected. In contrast to positive correlation between BD and serum albumin level also with vit. D 25(OH)D. In spite of wide variation in values of vitamin D, normal values of 25(OH)D in almost all the patients and controls has been found.