High density lipoproteins (HDL) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
Since a previous study showed an inverse correlation between high density lipoproteins (HDL) and bone mineral density (BMD), we searched for a possible relationship between HDL level and the presence of postmenopausal osteoporosis.


METHODS
We measured HDL levels in 37 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and compared them with a control group of 43 healthy postmenopausal women. The HDL levels were compared between the two groups using Student's t test and were correlated with BMD by Pearson's coefficient. To avoid possible selection bias, we compared patients and controls for body mass index by chi 2 test. The sensitivity and specificity of HDL level higher than 65 mg% (positive test) or lower than 45 mg% (negative test) was compared with double emission x-ray absorptiometry (considered the gold standard in the measurement of BMD).


RESULTS
The level of HDL was significantly higher in the osteoporotic patients than in the controls (67.7 +/- 15.5 mg% vs 58.3 +/- 11.6 mg%, p = 0.0039). HDL was inversely correlated with BMD (r = -0.29, p = 0.0083). HDL higher than 65 mg% has a high specificity (77%) for patients with osteoporosis, while HDL lower than 45 mg% has a high sensitivity (97%) in detecting subject without osteoporosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary data suggest an interesting, as yet unexplained association between HDL and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
D'Amelio
P
P
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Torino, Italy.
Pescarmona
G P
GP
Gariboldi
A
A
Isaia
G C
GC
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D015519:Bone Density; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL