Introduction: Obesity and osteoporosis share many features and recent studies have identified many similarities suggesting common pathophysiological mechanisms. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of non-traumatic fractures despite bone mineral density (BMD) being normal or even increased.
Materials and methods: 54 obese subjects were analyzed (51 ± 16 years, 10 males, 44 females). Spinal deformity index (SDI) is a semi-quantitative method that may be a surrogate index of bone microarchitecture. SDI index was higher in patients than in controls. In 87.5 % of patients and 10 % of controls we found morphometric vertebral fractures, despite a DEXA Tscore not diagnostic of osteoporosis.
Conclusion: The objective of this study was to assess in obese patients levels of 25OH vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, serum and urinary calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), BMD, and SDI. 87.5 % of the obese subjects present nontraumatic vertebral fractures and reduced bone quality as measured by SDI.