Effect of Eight-Month Exercise Intervention on Bone Outcomes of Young Opioid-Dependent Women.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the bone response to an 8 month aerobic gymnastics training program in young opioid-addicted women.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial (parallel design).

SETTING

Women's Specific Drug Rehabilitation Center in China.

PATIENTS: One hundred and two young women with low bone quality and previous opioid addiction were divided into two groups: (a) the low bone quality intervention experimental group (n = 55; age: 30.3 ± 6.1) and (b) the low bone quality observed control group (observation group; n = 47; age: 29.0 ± 5.3).

INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group took aerobic gymnastics regularly for 80 min/d and 5 d/wk for 8 months and completed follow-up testing.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Substance use history and other life habits affecting bone quality were assessed by questionnaire-based interviews. Bone quality (stiffness-index, T-score, Z-score) was examined with quantitative ultrasound. Anthropometric characteristics (body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass) were obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

RESULTS

After the 8 month intervention, the stiffness index of bone quality increased significantly (before: 82 ± 6, after: 108 ± 14, p < 0.05) in the experimental group. However, the bone quality did not change significantly in the controls (before: 79 ± 10, after: 77 ± 13, p > 0.05). The bone change in the difference group was significant (experimental group: 31.7% vs observation group: -0.03%). Fat mass decreased in the experimental group (experimental group: before: 19.6 ± 3.7 kg, after: 18.8 ± 4.0 kg, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the change in fat-free mass was the determination of the change in bone quality in the experimental group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that aerobic gymnastics intervention can be an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of drug-induced osteoporosis in detoxification addicts.