Poster Presentation ESA-SRB-ANZBMS 2024 in conjunction with ENSA

Bone health in individuals with Down syndrome (#328)

Michelle Maugham-Macan 1
  1. University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia

Life expectancies for people with Down syndrome have greatly improved over the last few decades [1-2] partly owing to our improved understanding and management of health complications. Despite improvements in our management of these health risks, we still do not fully understand how bone health is affected in individuals with Down syndrome. This is a critical area of research. As individuals with Down syndrome live longer, chances of developing ageing-associated bone disorders such as osteoporosis and osteopenia are increased, as are risk of fractures. Furthermore, individuals with Down syndrome appear to develop osteoporosis earlier in life with reduced bone mass [3-5]. We wanted to develop an understanding of current bone health in individuals with Down syndrome in Australia using a self-reported bone health survey. We co-designed an anonymous, online survey using Qualtrics. The self-reporting survey tool assessed reporters of bone health such as low bone mineral density, vitamin D levels and weight bearing exercise in individuals with Down syndrome. The online survey was presented in EasyRead format with visual aids in conjunction with the written question. The survey was advertised in the Down Syndrome Australia and Down Syndrome Queensland email newsletters sent to members monthly. Consenting participants were encouraged to discuss the project with someone able to support them in making their decision and completing the survey. Participants were able to withdraw at any stage of the survey.  Preliminary findings suggest targets for modifiable risk factors such as regular weight bearing exercise and not smoking are met, however non-modifiable risk factors for poor bone health such as malabsorption are common. There is also a need for increased awareness of bone health. Our end goal is to provide the evidence to include bone health screening in the regular health checks of adults with Down syndrome.

 

  1. 1. Thase, M.E., 26(Pt 3): p. 177-192.
  2. 2. Torr, J., et al., Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 2010. 7(1): p. 70-81.
  3. 3. McKelvey, K.D., et al., Osteoporos Int, 2013. 24(4): p. 1333-8.
  4. 4. Farr, J.N., et al., Nat Med, 2017. 23(9): p. 1072-1079.
  5. 5. Chandra, A. et al., International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021. 22, DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073553.