Study of peripheral bone mineral density in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is an ossifying systemic en thesopathy which involves not only the spine but which may also appear in o ther sites. Degenerative, inflammatory and metabolic factors have been repo rted for a possible pathogenic role in the new bone growth that characteris es DISH. In the present study peripheral bone mineral density (BMD) has bee n measured in patients affected by DISH and the results compared to those o f a control group. Forty-two patients (33 females and 9 males) affected by DISH and 84 controls (66 females and 18 males) were examined. All subjects underwent radiological study of the lumbar and dorsal spine and the pelvis. BMD was evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the examinati on was performed in the distal radius. In DISH patients the mean value of B MD was significantly higher than in controls (P < 0.002), even when it was referred to sex subgroups. Statistical analysis showed significant differen ces between both the two male groups (P < 0.002) and the two female groups (P < 0.01). In the two female subgroups (DISH patients and controls) BMD wa s significantly inversely related to age and to the duration of the postmen opausal period. The present study showed higher BMD in DISH patients than i n the control group.