Circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with prolonged time to fracture in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on chronic glucocorticoids
Authors' conclusion
Circulating CD34+ cells may thus be a potential biomarker to predict acute fracture risk in young people with DMD on chronic glucocorticoids.
Study context
- Population
- Youth with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) (8–20 years) on chronic glucocorticoids, stratified by prior and subsequent fractures, and age- and sex-matched healthy controls
- Participants
- 24 vs 13
- Comparison
- DMD youth on chronic glucocorticoids vs healthy controls
- DMDn = 24
- Healthy controlsn = 13reference
- Outcome
- Association of PDGF-BB, VEGF, angiogenin and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations (POCs, SPCs, CD34+ cells) and CD140b MFI with fracture
Methodological detailsage- and sex-matched healthy controls
- Age- and sex-matched healthy controls
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Time to next fracture · mean follow-up 2.23 yr
People with DMD who sustained a subsequent fracture
79%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Biomarkers in DMD vs healthy controls
- Decreased PDGF-BB and % circulating preosteoclast (POCs), SPCs and CD34+ cells in DMD vs healthy controls
- Circulating CD34+ cell % positively correlated with PDGF-BB
Retrospective fractures
- Lower % circulating SPCs and CD140b mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) associated with more retrospective fractures
Original publication
Circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with prolonged time to fracture in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on chronic glucocorticoids. J Bone Miner Res. Published 13 March 2025. doi:10.
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