Dr. Darrell Tan
Co-Lead, Prevention Core; Member, Steering Committee
St. Michael’s Hospital
View BioThis pilot study will compare bone architecture parameters (structure and strength) in adults living with HIV and compare new tools for measuring bone health to current methods. The study researchers are recruiting adults living with HIV who have had a fracture after their diagnosis and HIV positive adults who have never had a fracture. The two groups will be similarly matched according to age, sex, smoking status, and race. This study is intended to inform the design of a future intervention trial aimed at reversing the accelerated loss in bone strength seen during the first year of antiretroviral therapy.
Gradual bone demineralization is a feature of normal aging, with both men and women losing bone at a rate of .5% to 1% per year after age 35. Within individuals living with HIV, however, studies show accelerated losses of bone mineral density (BMD), particularly in the first year after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Measuring BMD is commonly used to assess risks of bone fractures and conditions such as osteoporosis (porous bone), a systemic skeletal diseases characterized by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue.
Participants in the study will be scheduled for two or more visits to the clinic and have a set of scans done to measure bone strength and structure as well as a set of blood tests. Study researchers will compare BMD measures to new approaches for measuring bone structures, including blood tests measuring vitamin D, phosphate, calcium and parathyroid hormone levels. The results of this study will inform the design of future clinical trials by helping identify the best tools for assessing bone health and outcome measures for trials aimed at correcting the early decreases in bone strength observed on antiretroviral therapy.
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If you would like more information on this clinical study, please refer to a participating site.
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St. Michael’s Hospital
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