Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Mar 05, 2025 19 hours, 59 minutes ago
Medical News: Recent research is shedding light on a concerning health issue related to COVID-19 infections. Scientists from the Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences at CAMS and the Comparative Medicine Center at PUMC in Beijing, China, have found strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase the risk of osteoporosis. The study highlights how the virus affects bone health, leading to significant bone loss in both animal models and human patients.
New Concerns About Bone Health After COVID-19
The findings suggest that COVID-19 not only impacts the respiratory system but can also lead to long-term skeletal problems. This
Medical News report discusses the mechanisms behind this effect and the potential risks associated with secondary osteoporosis following COVID-19 infection.
Evidence from Animal Studies
In their research, scientists used advanced animal models to understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on bone health. One of the studies involved diabetic mice infected with the virus, revealing a significant drop in bone density, decreased trabecular bone volume, and an increase in osteoclast activity, which is responsible for bone resorption. Another study using K18-hACE2 transgenic mice found that within two weeks of infection, there was a 24.4% decrease in trabecular bone volume and an increase in bone breakdown activity.
Additional experiments on Syrian golden hamsters demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection led to severe inflammation that affected bone metabolism. Even 60 days post-infection, researchers observed no recovery in bone density, suggesting long-term implications for bone health.
Clinical Findings in Human Patients
Clinical studies have provided further confirmation of this issue. Researchers analyzed bone density in COVID-19 patients and found alarming trends. A study comparing 720 participants, including healthy individuals, osteoporosis patients, and COVID-19 patients, revealed that those infected with the virus showed significant reductions in bone lacunar density. This finding suggests that the microstructural integrity of bones is compromised in COVID-19 patients, making them more susceptible to fractures and bone-related disorders.
Another study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients found that 8.6% of them experienced measurable bone density loss, with those on steroid treatments facing a higher risk of osteoporosis. Moreover, researchers discovered a link between low bone density and severe COVID-19 outcomes, indicating that weaker bones could be an independent predictor of disease severity.
How COVID-19 Causes Bone Loss
Scientists have identified several mechanisms that explain how SARS-CoV-2 leads to osteoporosis. One major factor is the virus's impact on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells through the ACE2 receptor, which also plays a crucial role in bone metabolism. When the virus binds to ACE2, it disrupts bone regulation, increasing the risk of bone loss.
Additionally, COVID-19 triggers a strong
inflammatory response, leading to increased levels of cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α. These inflammatory molecules accelerate osteoclast activity, resulting in rapid bone resorption. Hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, seen in severe COVID-19 cases, also plays a role by inhibiting the formation of new bone tissue.
Other contributing factors include imbalances in noncoding RNA, which regulate bone formation and resorption, as well as disruptions in glucose metabolism. Diabetic patients with COVID-19 face an even higher risk of osteoporosis due to these combined effects.
Potential Treatments and Prevention Strategies
Given these findings, researchers stress the importance of monitoring bone health in COVID-19 survivors, especially those with preexisting conditions like diabetes. Several potential treatments have been suggested to counteract the bone loss associated with COVID-19:
-Antiviral therapies: Medications that reduce viral replication could indirectly help preserve bone health.
-Inflammation control: Drugs that block inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 inhibitors, may help prevent excessive bone loss.
-Bone-targeted treatments: Bisphosphonates and denosumab, which inhibit bone resorption, could be effective in managing osteoporosis in COVID-19 patients.
-Vitamin D and calcium supplementation: Ensuring adequate levels of vitamin D can support bone health and modulate immune responses.
Doctors and researchers emphasize the need for long-term studies to determine whether COVID-19-related osteoporosis is reversible or if it leads to lasting skeletal issues.
Conclusions and Future Research Directions
The emerging evidence strongly suggests that COVID-19 can have lasting effects on bone health, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and long-term consequences, early findings indicate that monitoring and preventive care should be prioritized for COVID-19 survivors.
Future research should focus on the following key areas:
-Identifying long-term effects of COVID-19 on bone health
-Studying how different populations are affected, including those with preexisting conditions
-Developing effective treatment strategies to mitigate the risk of osteoporosis
Investigating whether repeated infections worsen bone health outcomes
As scientists continue to explore these issues, public health strategies should consider integrating bone health assessments into post-COVID care programs.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Animal Models and Experimental Medicine.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ame2.12573
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Medical News.
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