Wheelchair use and lipophilic statin medications may influence bone loss in chronic spinal cord injury: findings from the FRASCI-bone loss study

Summary We identified a protective bone effect at the knee with lipophilic statin use in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. Lipophilic statin users gained bone at the knee compared to non-users and wheelchair users lost bone compared to walkers. Ambulation and or statins may be effective osteogenic interventions in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Introduction SCI increases the risk of osteoporosis and low-impact fractures, particularly at the knee. However, during the chronic phase of SCI, the natural history and factors associated with longitudinal change in bone density remain poorly characterized. In this study, we prospectively assessed factors associated with change in bone density over a mean of 21 months in 152 men and women with chronic SCI. Methods A mixed model procedure with repeated measures was used to assess predictors of change in bone mineral density (PROC MIXED) at the distal femur and proximal tibia. Factors with a p value of