title: Bone mineral density may be related to atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: Biological interactions between the bone and the blood vessels are gradually being clarified. To investigate the relationship between bone mineral density and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients, we examined the bone mineral density and the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in 83 dialysis patients with non-diabetic nephropathy (44 men and 39 women) aged from 23 to 83 years. The duration of hemodialysis ranged from 2 to 344 months. The bone mineral density of the radius was measured by dual-energy X-ray adsorptiometry, and the ratio of this value to the standard value for the same age and gender was calculated ( Z-score). As an index of atherosclerosis, the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery was measured by high resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Then the relationship between the Z-score and various factors was examined using Spearman's rank correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The Z-score showed a negative correlation with the duration of hemodialysis, the carotid intima-media thickness, and the levels of alkaline phosphatase, intact parathyroid hormone, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by Spearman's rank correlation analysis. In addition, the Z-score showed a positive correlation with the lipoprotein (a) level and a negative correlation with the duration of hemodialysis, intima-media thickness, intact parathyroid hormone, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by multiple regression analysis. These findings suggest that the decrease of bone mineral density in hemodialysis patients is correlated with secondary hyperparathyroidism and hyperlipidemia, which are factors known to promote atherosclerosis, and thus bone density changes might be related to the progression of atherosclerosis, or vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Harada Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayumu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yorioka
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanji
authors.forename: Yukiteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asakimori
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ago
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shigemoto
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harada
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic