Skeletal health in long-duration astronauts: Nature, assessment, and management recommendations from the NASA bone summit
Year: 2013
Type: review
Abstract: Concern about the risk of bone loss in astronauts as a result of prolonged exposure to microgravity prompted the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to convene a Bone Summit with a panel of experts at the Johnson Space Center to review the medical data and research evidence from astronauts who have had prolonged exposure to spaceflight. Data were reviewed from 35 astronauts who had served on spaceflight missions lasting between 120 and 180 days with attention focused on astronauts who (1) were repeat fliers on long-duration missions, (2) were users of an advanced resistive exercise device (ARED), (3) were scanned by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) at the hip, (4) had hip bone strength estimated by finite element modeling, or (5) had lost >10% of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the hip or lumbar spine as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Because of the limitations of DXA in describing the effects of spaceflight on bone strength, the panel recommended that the U.S. space program use QCT and finite element modeling to further study the unique effects of spaceflight (and recovery) on bone health in order to better inform clinical decisions.
DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.1948
Institutions: Oregon Health & Science University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, University of Wisconsin–Madison, New Mexico Clinical Research & Osteoporosis Center, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Mercy Health, Johnson Space Center
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1524656751