Bone Disease in Alcohol Abuse

Abstract

Bone disease was evaluated in 8 white men between the ages of 49 and 61 yr who had been abusing alcohol for at least 10 yr. The mean density of vertebral cancellous bone was 58% of normal, whereas the mean density of appendicular cortical bone was 90% of normal. Marked reduction in active bone resorption and bone formation was seen without evidence of osteomalacia. Serum levels of Ca and Mg were in the lower range of normal; serum levels of P, calcifediol and calcitriol were normal; and serum levels of parathyroid hormone and nephrogenous cAMP were in the higher range of normal. Bone disease in these subjects is not due to inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion or function, or abnormal vitamin D metabolism, but to an inhibition of bone remodeling by a mechanism independent of the calciotropic hormones.