High serum amylin and calcitonin levels in cerebral palsy patients : is it protective against osteopenia?

Abstract EN

Background : Amylin and calcitonin hormones have been recently shown to stimulate bone development via action on osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Aims: to provide a detailed evaluation of amylin and calcitonin in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) who are at high risk of fractures secondary to low bone mineral density (BMD) and to detect their possible contribution in osteopenia and osteoporosis usually present in CP patients.

Methods: The study group consisted of 30 Saudi CP children who were evaluated at the division of Paediatric Neurology at KKUH, College of Medicine, KSU, Riyadh, KSA from April to July 2006.

The control group consisted of 10 healthy children with age and sex matched with patients.

BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry method (DEXA) at L2 - L4 levels of lumbar vertebrae.

Serum amylin and calcitonin hormones were assayed using enzyme-linked immuno absorbent assay (ELISA).

Results : Reduced BMD (BMD z score < -1.8 + 0.1) was found in the lumbar spine of 23 (77 %) of the cohort.

Serum amylin and calcitonin were found to be higher in the patient group versus controls (p > 0.

0S).

The levels of amylin and calcitonin were assessed in the patients with respect to type of seizures (focal or generalized) and type of antiepileptic drugs used (carbamazepine and valproateJ.The effect of polytherapy on levels of both hormones was also tested.

No significant difference was detected with any of these parameters.

A significant increase in the level of amylin was found in patients on valproate when compared to those not on this drug (p < 0.

05).

No significant correlation was detected between high hormones levels and any of patient data like age, presence of seizures, antiepileptic drugs used, duration of illness and degree of motor disability.

Conclusion : The current study highlighted the presence of high amylin and calcitonin levels in serum of studied CP patients.

The data are in keeping with the potential protective role of both hormones against osteopenia.