STATIC BONE HISTOMORPHOMETRY IN PRETERM AND TERM BABIES

The nature and pathophysiology of the bone loss which occurs in term a nd especially preterm neonates are poorly understood, and it is unclea r whether this neonatal osteopenia results from impaired bone formatio n or increased bone resorption. This study compared the static bone hi stomorphometry of preterm and term babies, employing iliac crest bone biopsy specimens obtained postmortem. All the babies died within the f irst 6 days of life and none had any clinical, biochemical or radiolog ic evidence of metabolic bone disease. The trabecular bone volume, as well as static parameters of bone formation (OV/TV, OV/BV, OS/BS, OB.S /BS) did not differ significantly in preterm and term babies. Although time-spaced tetracycline labelling could not be employed in the prese nt study, evidence of rickets was not apparent. Parameters of bone res orption in preterm babies were, however, significantly higher (p = 0.0 1) than those of term babies, suggesting that increased bone resorptio n and not impaired formation, underlies the development of osteopenia in the preterm neonate.