Musculoskeletal Research

 Research group

Group Leader

Francesc Xavier Nogués Solan

Our research focuses on the study of bone disorders and the underlying mechanisms of bone pathophysiology. The group covers three main areas of research: genetics, epidemiology and bone quality. In the genetic field, we are exploring the genetic basis of bone disorders at the population level. In this regard, we have two cohorts, BARCOS and B-ABLE, currently involved in ongoing studies related to bone health. The BARCOS cohort also belongs to the international GEFOS consortium, which has performed several genome-wide studies and metanalyses. B-ABLE is a cohort of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer treated with aromatase inhibitors. Our research also encompasses a number of diseases and therapies that affect bone metabolism as a secondary outcome. These include HIV infection and antiretroviral therapies, atypical fractures and osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with bisphosphonate treatment (the gold standard for osteoporosis), acromegaly, etc. Our group is a leading investigator in the development of a novel, hand-held Reference Point Indentation (RPI) instrument, Osteoprobe®, which measures bone quality. Epidemiological studies using population databases at local and international levels are also developed in our Unit. Along these lines, we are exploring mortality, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular events in women with breast cancer treated with aromatase inhibitors in the SIDIAP database. Moreover we are leading the creation of a frailty cohort into the CIBERFES with the aim of finding trajectories to explain the worsening process of frailty. Finally, our group is also working on the design of biomaterials and scaffolds for promoting the biointegration of implants in osseous and soft tissues.

Members

Adolf Díez Pérez (Researcher)

Leonardo Mellibovsky Saidler (Researcher)

Guillem Saló Bru (Researcher)

Isabel Aymar Fabrega (Technician)

Abora Rial Villavecchia (Technician)

 

Main Publications

• Alonso N, Estrada K, Albagha OME, Herrera L, Reppe S, Olstad OK, Gautvik KM, Ryan NM, Evans KL, Nielson CM, et al. Identification of a novel locus on chromosome 2q13, which predisposes to clinical vertebral fractures independently of bone density. Ann Rheum Dis 2018; 77(3): 378-385. IF 12.35. D1.

• McClung MR, Brown JP, Díez-Pérez A, Resch H, Caminis J, Meisner P, Bolognese MA, Goemaere S, Bone HG, Zanchetta JR, Maddox J, Bray S, Grauer A. Effects of 24 months of treatment with romosozumab followed by 12 months of denosumab or placebo in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density: A randomized, double-blind, phase 2, parallel group study. J Bone Miner Res 2018; 33(8): 1397-1406. IF 6.314. D1.

• Roca-Ayats N, Ng PY, García-Giralt N, Falcó-Mascaró M, Cozar M, Abril JF, Quesada JM, Prieto-Alhambra D, Nogués X, Dunford JE, Russell RG, Baron R, Grinberg D, Balcells S, Díez-Pérez A. Functional characterization of a GGPPS variant identified in atypical femoral fracture patients and delineation of the role of GGPPS in bone-relevant cell types. J Bone Miner Res 2018; 33(12): 2091-2098. IF 6.314. D1.

• Tebé C, Martínez-Laguna D, Moreno V, Cooper C, Díez-Pérez A, Collins GS, Prieto-Alhambra D. Differential mortality and the excess rates of hip fracture associated with type 2 diabetes: accounting for competing risks in fracture prediction matters. J Bone Miner Res 2018; 33(8): 1417-1421. IF 6.314. D1.

• Vilardell AM, Cinca N, García-Giralt N, Dosta S, Cano IG, Nogués X, Guilemany JM. Functionalized coatings by cold spray: An in vitro study of micro- and nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite compared to porous titanium. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 2018; 87: 41-49. IF 5.08. Q1.

• Vilardell AM, Cinca N, García-Giralt N, Müller C, Dosta S, Sarret M, Cano IG, Nogués X, Guilemany JM. In-vitro study of hierarchical structures: Anodic oxidation and alkaline treatments onto highly rough titanium cold gas spray coatings for biomedical applications. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 2018; 91: 589-596. IF 5.08. Q1.

• Güerri-Fernández R, Lerma-Chippirraz E, Fernández-Marrón A, García-Giralt N, Villar-García J, Soldado J, González-Mena A, Guelar A, Díez-Pérez A, Brown TT, Knobel H. Bone density, microarchitecture and tissue quality after 1 year of treatment with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. AIDS 2018; 32(7): 913-920. IF 4.914. Q1.

• Pérez-Sáez MJ, Herrera-Fernández S, Prieto-Alhambra D, Vilaplana L, Nogués X, Vera M, Redondo D, Mir M, Güerri-Fernández R, Crespo M, Díez-Pérez A, Pascual J. Maintenance low dose systemic glucocorticoids have limited impact on bone strength and mineral density among incident renal allograft recipients: A pilot prospective cohort study. Bone 2018; 116: 290-294. IF 4.455. Q1.

• Pineda-Moncusí M, Servitja S, Casamayor G, Cos L, Rial A, Rodríguez-Morera J, Tusquets I, Díez-Pérez A, García-Giralt N, Nogués X. Bone health evaluation one year after aromatase inhibitors completion. Bone 2018; 117: 54-59. IF 4.455. Q1.

• Martínez-Gil N, Roca-Ayats N, Monistrol-Mula A, García-Giralt N, Díez-Pérez A, Nogués X, Mellibovsky L, Grinberg D, Balcells S. Common and rare variants of WNT16, DKK1 and SOST and their relationship with bone mineral density. Sci Rep 2018; 8: 10951. IF 4.122. Q1.

Ongoing Research Projects

• Análisis objetivo mediante geolocalización del perímetro de la marcha en pacientes con estenosis del canal lumbar

- Financing institution: Sociedad para el Estudio de las Enfermedades del Raquis (GEER)

- Period: from 2018 to 2020

- Principal investigator: Saló Bru, Guillem

• Diagnóstico genético de fracturas atípicas de fémur asociadas al tratamiento con bisfosfonatos

- Financing institution: Fundación Española de Investigación Ósea y del Metabolismo Mineral (FEIOMM)

- Period: from 2017 to 2019

- Principal investigator: García Giralt, Natalia

• Estudio para la mejora de la calidad de vida en mujeres con cáncer de mama tratadas con inhibidores de aromatasa: cohorte B-ABLE

- Financing institution: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI16/00818)

- Period: from 2017 to 2019

- Principal investigator: Nogués Solan, Francesc Xavier

• Determinantes clínicos y genéticos de eventos musculoesqueléticos en mujeres posmenopáusicas tratadas con inhibidores de la aromatasa por cáncer de mama. Cohorte prospectiva B-ABLE

- Financing institution: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI13/00444)

- Period: from 2014 to 2018

- Principal investigator: Nogués Solan, Francesc Xavier

 

Participation in Research Networks

• CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable

- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria-ISCIII. CIBER (CB16/10/00245)

- Principal investigator: Diéz Pérez, Adolf

 

Group’s Recognitions

• Officially recognised as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya: Unitat de Recerca en Fisiopatologia Òssia i Articular (URFOA) (2017-2020)

- Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 502)

- Principal investigator: Nogués Solan, Francesc Xavier

 

Theses

• Verònica Medialdea Dziatzko. Analísis de los efectos a corto y largo plazo de los efectos de una cura termal en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

- Director: Nogués, Francesc Xavier

- Date of defense: 30/11/2018

 

Other

• Francesc Xavier Nogués Solan. Prize for the best clinical oral communication at the congress of the Spanish Society for Bone Research and Mineral Metabolism (SEIOMM). Date: 09/11/2018.

• Consensus guides: Peyman Hadji; Matti S Aapro; Jean-Jacques Body; Michael Gnant; Maria Luisa Brandi; Jean Yves Reginster; M Carola Zillikens; Claus-C Glüer; Tobie de Villiers; Rod Baber; G David Roodman; Cyrus Cooper; Bente Langdahl; Santiago Palacios; John Kanis; Nasser Al Daghri; Xavier Nogués; Erik Fink Eriksen; Andreas Kurth; Rene Rizzoli; Robert E Coleman. Management of Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Bone Loss (AIBL) in postmenopausal women with hormone sensitive breast cancer: Joint position statement of the IOF, CABS, ECTS, IEG, ESCEO IMS, and SIOG.Journal of Bone Oncology. 7, pp. 1 - 12. 23/03/2017. ISSN 2212-1366

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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