Circulating osteoprotegerin is associated with age and systolic blood pressure, but not with lipid profile or fasting glucose, in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
Osteoprotegerin (OPG), an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activation, has been reported to be linked to vascular biology. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships between circulating OPG and the risk factors for vascular disorders in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Eighty Japanese postmenopausal women were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Clinical parameters (age, number of years since menopause, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure); serum concentrations of OPG, creatinine, calcium, and phosphorus; serum lipid profile; plasma glucose; and bone mineral density of the L2-4 vertebral bodies were determined for each woman.


RESULTS
In rank-order correlation analysis, serum OPG concentrations had significant positive correlations with age (r = 0.29, P = 0.03), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.45, P < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.34, P < 0.01), and serum creatinine (r = 0.29, P = 0.04). Serum OPG concentration also had a marginally significant negative correlation with bone mineral density of the L2-4 vertebral bodies (r = -0.25, P = 0.06). However, serum OPG did not correlate with body mass index, serum lipid profile, or plasma glucose. The correlation of serum OPG with systolic blood pressure persisted after adjustment for both age and serum creatinine.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that increased circulating OPG in postmenopausal women is closely related to higher systolic blood pressure, which could cause atherosclerosis.
Uemura
Hirokazu
H
Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan. uemura@basic.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Yasui
Toshiyuki
T
Miyatani
Yuka
Y
Yamada
Masayo
M
Hiyoshi
Mineyoshi
M
Arisawa
Kokichi
K
Irahara
Minoru
M
D000367:Age Factors; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D010758:Phosphorus; D003404:Creatinine; D002118:Calcium