INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that contributes to the emergence of vertebral fractures. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis, vertebral fractures and pain intensity in the regions of the spine in patients with moderate or severe COPD and to check whether there is a connection between these variables and gravity of pulmonary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 34 subjects with COPD (COPDG) and 33 healthy subjects (CG), using bone densitometry and radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups in demographics. The COPDG values were lower in spirometric variables in bone mineral density (BMD) and T-score compared to the CG (p < 0.05, Student's t test) and, moreover, no correlation was observed between BMD and FEV1 and T-score (Pearson correlation, p > 0.05). There was a high prevalence of osteoporosis, and 20 individuals (59%) presented with moderate obstruction in the lumbar spine, l (3%) in the femoral neck and l (3%) trochanter; 4 (12%) with severe pulmonary obstruction in the lumbar spine, l (3%) in the femoral neck and l (3%) in the trochanter. Twenty subjects (59%) of COPDG osteoporotic fractures had grade I and II, 4 (12%) grade III (k = 0.90, CI: 95%) and three individuals COPDG reported presence of "light" pain intensity in the thoracolumbar region, while 21 had asymptomatic osteoporotic vertebral fractures. CONCLUSION: We conclude that individuals with moderate to severe COPD showed beyond the pulmonary obstruction, decreased BMD and osteoporotic vertebral fractures, which indicates the need to adopt measures to prevent osteoporosis in these patients.
Bone mineral density; Prevention; Risk factors; Pain; Physiotherapy
