Bone quality in adults with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.

OBJECTIVE

To determine bone quality in adults with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

PATIENTS

Bone quality of 60 patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (28 men, 32 women; mean age 57 years) at a long-term care facility for adults was examined retrospectively.

METHODS

Quantitative ultrasonography was used to measure the stiffness index, T-score and Z-score of the calcaneus. A multiple linear regression model, including sex, age, anti-epileptic drug use, tube-feeding status, and current and peak physical abil-ities, was used to identify significant predictors of T-scores.

RESULTS

Quantitative ultrasonography revealed that all patients had lower bone quality (based on T-scores, Z-scores, and stiffness index), and all patients had T-scores with standard deviations (SD) below 1.8. Current physical ability, age, and anti-epileptic drug use were significant factors in T-score determination, while tube-feeding and peak physical ability were not. The ability to walk without assistance was the most significant predictor in quantitative ultrasonography.

CONCLUSION

Severely low bone quality is observed in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities; and it is strongly associated with current physical activity. It is important that patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities preserve their physical abilities to prevent osteoporosis-related fractures.