Abstract Osteoporosis is a metabolic disorder characterized by a loss of bone mass and structure and increasing the risk of fragility fractures, mostly among postmenopausal women. Sheep is a recognized large animal model for osteoporosis research. An experimental group of ewes (3-4 years old) was subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) and weekly glucocorticoid (GC) application for 24 weeks and compared with a sham control group. Blood and bone marrow parameters were analyzed before and 24 weeks after OVX and GC administration. Osteopenia was confirmed through micro-computed tomography and histomorphometric analysis of L4 vertebra in the study end. A statistically significant increase was observed in mean corpuscular volume, mean cell hemoglobin and monocytes and a decrease in red blood count and eosinophils (p<0.05). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, magnesium and α1-globulin increased, and creatinine, albumin, sodium and estradiol decreased (p<0.05). A slight decrease of bone formation markers (bone ALP and osteocalcin) and an increase of bone resorption markers (C-terminal telopeptides of collagen type 1 and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) were observed, but without statistical significance. This study aims to contribute to better knowledge of sheep as a model for osteoporosis research and the consequences that a performed induction protocol may impose on organic metabolism.

ABSTRACT Bone turnover markers (BTMs) are product of bone cell activity and are generally divided in bone formation and bone resorption markers. The purpose of this review was to structure the available information on the use of BTMs in studies on small ruminants, especially for monitoring their variations related to diet, exercise, gestation and metabolic lactation state, circadian and seasonal variations, and also during skeletal growth. Pre-clinical and translational studies using BTMs with sheep and goats as animal models in orthopaedic research studies to help in the evaluation of the fracture healing process and osteoporosis research are also described in this review. The available information from the reviewed studies was systematically organized in order to highlight the most promising BTMs in small ruminant research, as well as provide a wide view of the use of sheep and goat as animal models in orthopaedic research, type of markers and commercial assay kits with cross-reactivity in sheep and goat, method of sample and storage of serum and urine for bone turnover markers determination and the usefulness and limitations of bone turnover markers in the different studies, therefore an effective tool for researchers that seek answers to different questions while using BTMs in small ruminants.

Depois de caracterizar a doença de Charcot-Marie-Tooth e a malformação de Klippel-Feil, o autor relata um caso em que ambas estão associadas e procede a uma revisão da literatura pertinente, apresentando múltiplas possibilidades de associação de uma e outra com diversos entidades mórbidas.

Initially the author characterises Charcot-Marie-Tooth's disease and Klippel-Feil's syndrome and reports a case in which both these conditions were associated. A review of the concerning literature showing the several possibilities of association of eitherone with another nosological conditions is reported.