Changes in Bone Mineral Density in the Year After Critical Illness

Rationale: Critical illness may be associated with increased bone turnover and loss of bone mineral density (BMD). Prospective evidence describing long-term changes in BMD after critical illness is needed to further define this relationship.

Objectives: To measure the change in BMD and bone turnover markers (BTMs) in subjects 1 year after critical illness compared with population-based control subjects.

Methods: We studied adult patients admitted to a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) who required mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours. We measured clinical characteristics, BTMs, and BMD during admission and 1 year after ICU discharge. We compared change in BMD to age- and sex-matched control subjects from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study.

Measurements And Main Results: Sixty-six patients completed BMD testing. BMD decreased significantly in the year after critical illness at both femoral neck and anterior-posterior spine sites. The annual decrease was significantly greater in the ICU cohort compared with matched control subjects (anterior-posterior spine, -1.59%; 95% confidence interval, -2.18 to -1.01; P < 0.001; femoral neck, -1.20%; 95% confidence interval, -1.69 to -0.70; P < 0.001). There was a significant increase in 10-year fracture risk for major fractures (4.85 ± 5.25 vs. 5.50 ± 5.52; P < 0.001) and hip fractures (1.57 ± 2.40 vs. 1.79 ± 2.69; P = 0.001). The pattern of bone resorption markers was consistent with accelerated bone turnover.

Conclusions: Critically ill individuals experience a significantly greater decrease in BMD in the year after admission compared with population-based control subjects. Their bone turnover biomarker pattern is consistent with an increased rate of bone loss.