Dr. Jessica Bon’s Research

Dr. Bon’s academic and research interests focus on the investigation of the clinical and mechanistic relationship between COPD and osteoporosis.  Epidemiologic studies have established a link between COPD and low bone mineral density independent of traditional osteoporosis risk factors, including low vitamin D levels, chronic steroid use, and frailty.  Dr. Bon’s research has concentrated on why this association exists.  She has shown that systemic inflammatory biomarkers correlate with markers of bone turnover in patients with severe COPD.  She has also shown that radiographic emphysema independently predicts low bone mineral density in smokers.

The figure below demonstrates the striking similarities on electron microscopy between normal lung tissue and emphysematous lung tissue (A) and normal bone and osteoporotic bone (B) (Bon et al, Transl Res 2013).

This Forest plot illustrates that, when other risk factors are considered, only gender and radiographic emphysema are predictive of low bone mineral density in smokers (Bon et al, Amer J Respir Crit Care Med 2010).

Division of PACCSM
Academic Offices

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Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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Patient Care and Referral

Comprehensive Lung Center (CLC)
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