Markers of autoimmune liver diseases in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
BACKGROUND
Osteoporosis is a common complication of chronic liver diseases. However, there is limited information about autoimmune liver diseases as a factor of secondary osteoporosis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the autoantibodies of autoimmune liver diseases in patients with osteoporosis.


METHODS
One hundred fifty female patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis were included. Bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. We analysized autoantibodies including antinuclear antibodies, liver membrane antibodies, anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1, liver-specific protein, antismooth muscle antibodies, and anti-mitochondrial antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence. Serum was assayed for the levels of aminotransferases.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 63,13 ± 8,6 years. The mean values of L1-L4 T-scores and femur total T-scores were -3,08 ± 0,58 and -1,53 ± 0,81, respectively. Among the 150 patients with osteoporosis, 14 (9.3%) were antinuclear antibodies, four (2.7%) were liver membrane antibodies, three (2.0%) were anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1, and two (1.3%) were liver-specific protein positive. None of the patients had anti-mitochondrial antibodies or smooth muscle antibodies positivity. The mean values of levels of aminotransferases were within normal range.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of liver membrane antibodies, liver-specific protein, and anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1 has permitted us to see that there may be some suspicious clues of autoimmune liver diseases in patients with osteoporosis as a secondary risk factor. On the other hand, there is a need for comprehensive studies with a larger sample size and studies designed to compare the results with a normal population to understand the clinical importance of our findings.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. secilbabaoglu@yahoo.com
Umit Secil
US
Demirdal
Ihsan Hakkı
IH
Ciftci
Vural
V
Kavuncu
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase