Osteoporosis – A Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Diseases: A Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Introduction Cardiovascular (CV) diseases and bone fractures due to osteoporosis are the leading causes of death in the elderly.

Objective The aim of this study was to demonstrate a correlation between the overall risk for CV events, and low bone density in postmenopausal women, and its impact on the incidence of serious CV events.

Methods Our prospective study involved 300 postmenopausal women. All the examinees were divided into three groups based on their measured bone density: Group I – 84 examinees with osteoporosis; Group II – 115 examinees with osteopenia; and Group III – 101 examinees with normal bone density. In all examinees the overall ten-year risk for a fatal CV event was calculated using the SCORE system tables.

Results After a 36-month follow-up, CV events occurred in 19 (6.3%) examinees. Significant differences in the incidence of CV events were demonstrated between the patients with osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal bone density (χ2=28.7; p<0.001), as well as between those with a high and low CV risk (χ2=22.6; p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smoking (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.02 to 6.19; p=0.035), and increase of overall CV score (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.58; p<0.001) are associated with increased CV event risk, while the increase of T score value is associated with decreased risk of CV event (OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.73; p=0.002).

Conclusion Measurement of bone density with a standard assessment of the total CV risk could be useful for selecting women who need intensive prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Keywords: osteoporosis; cardiovascular risk; SCORE system