ROLE OF SEX STEROIDS IN AGE RELATED BONE LOSS--RACE AND SEX DIFFERENCES

人们认为峰值骨量是决定骨质疏松性骨折风险的关键因素。在骨量峰值期间，黑人和白人的骨量差异为1 SD，这一定是美国老年黑人男性和女性骨质疏松性骨折减少50%的重要原因。骨量峰值的差异一定反映了黑人和白人儿童在骨骼生长过程中的不同。本研究将探讨5-14岁儿童骨量增加率的黑白差异；黑人和白人儿童骨骼更新标记物与骨量增加率之间的关系，以及这种差异是否解释了骨骼生长的差异。影响骨量的因素可能是通过生长过程中对骨骼建模和重塑的影响，或通过其他机制，包括性类固醇、生长激素和其他生长因子。

It is believed that peak bone mass is a critical element in the determination of risk for osteoporotic fractures. During the period of peak mass there is a 1 SD black-white difference in bone mass which must contribute greatly to the 50% reduction in osteoporotic fractures among elderly black men and women in the U.S. This difference in peak bone mass must reflect processes which differ in black and white children during skeletal growth. This study will investigate: the black-white differences in rates of gain in bone mass in children aged 5-14; the relatioship between markers of skeletal turnover and rates of gain in bone mass in black and white children, and whether such differences account for differences in skeletal growth. Factors which might influence bone mass either through effects on skeletal modeling and remodeling during growth, or through other mechanisms, including sex steriods, growth hormone and other growth factors.