# BIOMECHANICS OF VERTEBRAL FRACTURES IN OSTEOPOROSIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $135,265

## Abstract

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease associated with losses
in bone volume and increases in the risk of spontaneous fractures
of the spine, hip, and radius.  Millions of post-menopausal women
are particularly at risk.  However, the biomechanical aspects of
the disease have received little attention.  Thus, it has not been
clinically possible to reliably predict which patients are at risk.
The current proposal describes the continuation of a three-year
grant to study fracture risk prediction in the lumbar spine.  In the
last funding cycle, we were able to measure vertebral density
non-invasively from cadaveric vertebrae and to relate these
measures to in-vitro tests of vertebral strength in compression.
We showed clinically that predictors based on estimates of the
compressive strength of the anterior vertebral centrum provide
improved descrimination between fracture and non-fracture
groups when compared to available techniques.  We are currently
completing the analysis of flexion-compression experiments
comparing QCT and DPA, and have initiated 3-D finite element
modeling studies.

The primary objectives of this continuation are to refine fracture
risk predictors for the lumbar spine and extend these
methodologies to predictions in the thoracic spine.  Vertebral
density and geometry data obtained from fresh cadaver lumbar
spine segments and from QCT measurements will be used in
models of lumbar vertebrae.  We will consider variations in
density, material properties and geometry to examine the
interactions between vertebral centrum, cortex, and endplates.
The ultimate strength of matched thoracic and lumbar spine
segments will be measured using uniaxial compression and
combined compression-flexion loading.  Quantitative CT
measurements will be made for the lumbar and thoracic regions in
vitro to determine variations in density along the spine and within
the vertebra.  The effects of lung tissue on the precision and
accuracy of QCT measurements of thoracic vertabrae will also be
determined in vitro.

Prospective and cross sectional clinical trials will be conducted
using the resulting predictors of fracture risk.  We plan a five
year clinical study a determine the changes in vertebral density
associated with clinical interventions in a perimenopausal
population.  We will measure lumbar vertebral density by QCT
annually and apply our fracture risk assessments to controls and
women treated with calcium supplement and exercise or estrogen-
progesterone.  For these subjects we will measure the bone
mineral content of the radius and correlate the results with QCT.
The eventual goals of these studies are to identify clinical
predictors of the osteoporotic state, and to describe the
progressive biomechanical changes in the strength of the thoracic
and lumbar spine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3156491
- **Project number:** 5R01AR033066-08
- **Recipient organization:** UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HYN3WD58HNN7
- **Principal Investigator:** Whitson Thomas Edwards
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $135,265
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1988-09-01 → 1992-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3156491

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3156491, BIOMECHANICS OF VERTEBRAL FRACTURES IN OSTEOPOROSIS (5R01AR033066-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3156491. Licensed CC0.

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