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No Link Found Between SCFE and Endocrine Disorders

Is there a link between endocrine problems and slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE)? Since low bone density is connected with endocrine problems and SCFE occurs in children with endocrine disorders, maybe the two problems are connected. That's the focus of this article from the University of New Mexico Carrie Tingley Hospital.

SCFE is a condition seen most often in obese children in early adolescence. In SCFE the growth center (epiphysis) of the femur (thigh bone) slips backwards. The blood vessels to the epiphysis can get pinched off or even torn. Without a blood supply the bone starts to die.

Finding out what causes SCFE and preventing it is a goal of scientists. The authors of this study proposed that children with SCFE have decreased bone density. That's why they get SCFE. But comparing obese children without SCFE to obese children with SCFE they found out they were wrong.

DXA scans of the spine and hip were done on both groups of children. Boys and girls ages 11 years to 15 years old were included. All were either overweight or obese according to their measurement of body mass index (BMI). They found out the children with SCFE had better bone density than age- and gender-matched children without SCFE.

This study was small (12 children with SCFE, five without) and normal bone density levels aren't known for obese versus normal-sized children. They say there's no way to tell if the control group might end up with SCFE later. The authors conclude that more study is needed. For now it doesn't appear there's a link between low bone mineral density and SCFE.

References: David P. Huberty, MD, and Elizabeth A. Szalay, MD, CCD. Evaluation of Bone Density in Children with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis. In Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. January/February 2006. Vol. 26. No. 1. Pp. 13-15.

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