New research demonstrates viability of novel test for osteoporosis
TORONTO, February 21, 2018 --- Groundbreaking research published in two high ranking medical journals has provided further evidence that fracture risk can be detected using a simple over-the-counter test. Professor Mark Towler of Ryerson University's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, along with researchers at Harvard Medical School, the University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University of Belfast, University of Limerick and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, have found a clear link between bone collagen and nail keratin as indicators of bone loss caused by osteoporosis using (external link) Raman spectroscopy (external link) , a type of laser-based analysis.
Osteoporosis is a common disease in which the bones become brittle, increasing risk of fractures. It affects 1 in 4 women and more than 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 - approximately 1.4 million Canadians in total. Almost 30,000 hip fractures occur each year in Canada, with that number expected to quadruple by the year 2030.
Results of two recently published studies, ‘Raman spectroscopy predicts the link between claw keratin and bone collagen structure in a rodent model of oestrogen deficiency (external link) ’, in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease and A preliminary evaluation of the ability of keratotic tissue to act as a prognostic indicator of hip fracture risk’ (external link, opens in new window) , in Clinical Medicine Insights: Arthritis & Musculoskeletal Disorders highlight a significant breakthrough in the fight against osteoporosis.
The research outlines why analysis of the nail keratin acts as a predictor of fracture risk, through detection of a marker of bone protein quality. The BBA paper presents the first direct evidence that systemic, or whole body, changes can leave imprints on tissues as remote as bone and nail. The peer-reviewed study revealed that the protein matrix of both bone and claw of rats showed a decrease in ordered structure and an increase in disordered structure where osteoporosis was induced—indicating a weaker protein.
The Clinical Medicine Insights paper builds on this work to determine the diagnostic ability of nail tissue in humans to identify those at risk of fracture. Toenail samples from 161 postmenopausal women were sourced from the Harvard-collated Nurses' Health Study (external link) and analyzed by Raman spectroscopy; 82 of the sample donors experienced a hip fracture up to 20 years after nail collection. The Raman analysis successfully distinguished between hip fracture cases and control subjects.
“This is an incredible step forward in fracture prevention for millions of Canadians who suffer, or will soon suffer, from osteoporosis,” said Towler. “For most of us, this critical information is only discovered after a fracture—I see a future where we can help prevent that fracture from occurring in the first place.”
A viable alternative to bone density testing
The research provides further clinical data to support the efficacy of Towler’s efforts to revolutionize testing for osteoporosis, both at pharmacies and hospitals via his recent innovation, Osentia.
Osentia (external link) is a simple over-the-counter test for osteoporosis using Raman spectroscopy. The technology was developed and commercialized by Towler's startup company Crescent Ops, based in London, UK. The Osentia® test is already available at pharmacies in the United Kingdom, with expansion to North America on the horizon.
The do-it-yourself test evaluates an individual's risk of suffering fragility fractures by using a patented algorithm, which analyzes both the spectroscopic analysis of the subject’s fingernail or toenail sample along with information around the subject’s clinical risk factors.
Currently, bone density is the primary tested indicator of osteoporotic fracture risk, however, the majority of fragility fractures occur in individuals with a bone mineral density too high to be classified as osteoporotic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate aspects of bone health, other than bone mass, which can more accurately predict the risk of fracture - which is where Towler’s research, and Osentia, come in.
The individual receives results in just seven days. Towler hopes that this research, coupled with ongoing clinical trials in Canada and the United States, will help accelerate the approvals process in North America.
“This is first test which gives people the opportunity to assess their risk of suffering a fracture—and thanks to these important research breakthroughs, we hope that it will be available across North America by 2019.”
Ryerson University is Canada’s leader in innovative, career-oriented education. Urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the university is home to more than 44,600 students, including 2,600 master’s and PhD students, 3,100 faculty and staff, and nearly 185,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit ryerson.ca.
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