Bone marrow fat-cell enlargement in early steroid-induced osteonecrosis - A histomorphometric study of autopsy cases

Goro Motomura, Takuaki Yamamoto, Keita Miyanishi, Akihisa Yamashita, Katsuo Sueishi, Yukihide Iwamoto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

65 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Some animal studies and magnetic resonance imaging studies suggest that there may exist a relationship between abnormal lipid metabolisms and osteonecrosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the size of bone marrow fat cells in the early osteonecrosis femoral head using autopsy specimens. We compared the size of bone marrow fat cells in the viable areas in the following three autopsy groups: the early osteonecrosis group (4 femoral heads); the steroid-administered group (without osteonecrosis) (n = 10), and the normal group (n = 19). In addition, after adjusting for age and sex, the size of bone marrow fat cells was compared using multiple regression analysis. The size of bone marrow fat cells was significantly larger in the early osteonecrosis group (84.7±5.5 μm) than in both the steroid-administered group (75.3±4.3 μm) and the normal group (76.3±4.9 μm) (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). After adjusting for age and sex, the size of bone marrow fat cells in the early osteonecrosis group was significantly larger as compared with the other groups. This study suggests that in steroid-induced osteonecrosis, the size of bone marrow fat cells increases significantly at an early stage.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)807-811
Number of pages5
JournalPathology Research and Practice
Volume200
Issue number11-12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 22 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Cell Biology

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