British researchers have identified two common genetic mutations that increase the risk of osteoporosis and related bone fractures, according to a study released on Tuesday These changes were present in 20 percent of the people studied and highlight the potential role of screening for the bone-thinning disease that mainly affects women after menopause Osteoporosis affects about one in three women and one in five men around the world In the Lancet study, the team scanned the genes of 2,094 female twins and identified a link between decreased bone mineral density and changes in chromosomes 8 and 11 In chromosome 11 the change was associated with a 30 percent increased risk of the condition and related fractures and for chromosome 8 the mutation raised risk by 20 percent For people who had both changes, their risk went up by 30 percent The findings are an important step forward toward better understanding of the genetic basis of osteoporosis, other researchers wrote in a Lancet commentary |
No comments:
Post a Comment