This study investigated 51 patients with Type 1 Gaucher's disease clinicall
y and radiographically for the presence of osteonecrosis, Twenty-five femal
e and 26 male patients with a mean age of 37 years were evaluated retrospec
tively for osteonecrosis of the proximal and distal femur, proximal tibia,
and proximal humerus, All patients were examined before enzyme replacement
therapy. Gender, age at diagnosis, prior splenectomy, hematocrit, platelet
count, acid phosphatase level, radiographs of the long bones, and magnetic
resonance quantitative chemical shift imaging of the spine were analyzed to
see if any of these values or findings were associated with the presence o
f osteonecrosis, Splenectomy was an independent risk factor for the presenc
e of osteonecrosis in three of the four major sites and was a multivariate
risk factor for osteonecrosis of the proximal femur and tibia. Male gender
was the other significant multivariate risk factor for osteonecrosis of the
humerus and distal femur when all sites were taken into account.