Effects of calcium deficiency and calcium supplementation on gastrectomy-induced osteopenia in the young male rat.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Surgical removal of the stomach (gastrectomy, Gx) induces osteopenia. In this study we compared the osteopenic effect of Gx with that induced by calcium (Ca) deficiency.

METHODS:

Young male rats were subjected to Gx and/or low Ca diet (-Ca). A group of Gx rats received standard diet + oral Ca supplementation (+Ca). The rats were killed at various times after the operation/start of treatment (longest time 12 weeks). After 8 weeks on low Ca diet, the blood Ca2+ concentration was lowered slightly in both Sham-operated and Gx rats. The calvariae were subjected to transillumination analysis and quantitative histomorphometry. Also the tibiae were subjected to histomorphometry.

RESULTS:

Transillumination of the calvariae revealed extensive bone loss in the rats that had been subjected to Gx and/or low Ca diet. Gx + Ca induced the same bone loss as Gx alone. These observations were later confirmed in quantitative terms by histomorphometry (Sham-Ca 56%, Gx 35%, Gx + Ca 32%, Gx - Ca 58% less bone area than in Sham). The osteopenia induced by Gx + low Ca diet seetned more rapid in onset than that induced by Gx or low Ca diet alone. Tibiae from Gx rats and rats given a low Ca diet displayed a reduced trabecular bone volume (Sham-Ca 27% remaining, Gx 36%, Gx + Ca 44%, Gx - Ca 17%) and reduced trabecular number (Sham-Ca 44% remaining, Gx 41%, Gx + Ca 56%, Gx - Ca 33%). The trabecular thickness was reduced in the Gx rats and Gx - Ca rats (Gx 78% remaining, Gx - Ca 63%) but not in Sham-operated rats receiving a low Ca-diet (95% remaining).

CONCLUSION:

Although the pattern of osteopenia was qualitatively quite similar in Gx rats and Ca-deficient rats, in quantitative terms the low Ca diet was more detrimental to bone than Gx. Ca deficiency induced a similar degree of osteopenia in both Sham and Gx rats. Ca supplementation failed to prevent the Gx-induced osteopenia.

• Authors: D Lehto-Axtelius, V V Surve, O Johnell, R Håkanson
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology (Scand J Gastroenterol) Vol. 37 Issue 3 Pg. 299-306 (Mar 2002) ISSN: 0036-5521 [Print] England
• PMID: 11916192 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Calcium, Dietary
• Calcium

Topics

• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Bone Density (physiology)
• Bone Diseases, Metabolic (etiology, pathology)
• Calcium (deficiency)
• Calcium, Dietary (pharmacology)
• Diet
• Disease Models, Animal
• Femur (growth & development, pathology)
• Gastrectomy
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Probability
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Tibia (growth & development, pathology)