Association between calcium regulatory hormones and other factors and bone mineral density in elderly Chinese men and women.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the study was to determine if bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly Chinese subjects was associated with indices of calcium metabolism (parathyroid hormone, vitamin D), osteocalcin, and other nonbiochemical factors.


METHODS
104 men (mean age 74 +/- 6 yrs) and 213 women (mean age 76 +/- 8 yrs) with no previous history of fractures were recruited from old age hostels and community centers. BMD was measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
BMD in both sexes was associated with body mass index (BMI), arm circumference, and skinfold thicknesses. Additionally, in women there was a positive association with grip strength and load-bearing activities, a negative association with age in all sites except for the lumbar spine, and negative associations with indices of bone turnover (osteocalcin, urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine and calcium/creatinine ratios). After adjusting for BMI, women with hypertension or taking antihypertensive drugs had higher mean BMD at the lumbar spine. Multivariate analyses showed that only BMI predicted BMD in men, while age, BMI, and arm circumference were predictors of BMD in women.


CONCLUSIONS
Indices of calcium metabolism were not correlated with BMD in this elderly Chinese population, suggesting that the age-related rise in parathyroid hormone and reduced intestinal absorption of calcium may not be important factors in determining BMD in elderly Chinese men and women.
Department of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
J
J
Woo
E
E
Lau
R
R
Swaminathan
D
D
MacDonald
E
E
Chan
P C
PC
Leung
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China; D003401:Creatine / Q000652:urine; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006723:Hong Kong; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013131:Spine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006728:Hormones; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015675:Osteocalcin; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D012964:Sodium; D002117:Calcitriol; D003401:Creatine; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D002118:Calcium