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Osteoporosis and low BMD are risk factors for stroke, death

By jeremyc | December 7, 2009

Source: MedWireNews

Low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are independent risk factors for stroke and death, a large cohort study has found.

In view of the impact of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis on morbidity and mortality, “this relationship is of high interest for further studies,” say Anna Nordström (Umeå University, Sweden) and fellow investigators in the journal Cerebrovascular Diseases.

For the study, Nordström’s team analyzed information on 3531 women and 771 men who were assessed using X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and followed-up for a mean of 5.6 years. During this time there were 139 strokes and 224 deaths.

After adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index, baseline BMD at the femoral neck was associated with subsequent stroke, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.23 for each standard-deviation (SD) increase.

Osteoporosis at baseline was also associated with an increased stroke risk, with an adjusted HR of 1.92.

Similarly, femoral-neck BMD and osteoporosis at baseline predicted the risk for death, with adjusted HRs of 1.41 per SD increment and 2.05, respectively.

Importantly, these relationships were not significantly attenuated by further adjustment for smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes.

The researchers note that both atherosclerosis and osteoporosis are “diseases of epidemic proportions in Western societies” and contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. Potential mechanisms linking the two conditions include certain single nucleotide polymorphisms, the protein osteoprotegerin, and systemic inflammation.

“Further studies are needed to investigate the biology underlying the relationship between stroke risk and bone density,” they conclude. “This work may uncover basic mechanisms that will lead to a greater understanding of their common etiology.”

Topics: | Osteoporosis, Stroke |

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