title: The relationship between coronary artery calcification and bone mineral density in patients according to their metabolic syndrome status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) is closely related to total atherosclerotic plaque burden. However, the pathogenesis of CAC is still unclear. Conditions such as diabetes mellitus, renal failure, smoking, and chronic inflammation have been suggested to link vascular calcification and bone loss. In the present study, we hypothesized that bone loss can contribute to the pathogenesis of CAC in patients with the chronic inflammatory condition that accompanies metabolic syndrome (MetS). The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between CAC and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with MetS and in patients without MetS, by using coronary multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 395 consecutive patients was analyzed retrospectively. From the MDCT database, only those patients who underwent both coronary MDCT and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry within an interval of one month, were selected. The presence of MetS was determined by the updated criteria as defined by the Third Adult Treatment Panel Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with MetS, a significant correlation was found between CAC and age {odds ratio (OR)=1.139, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.080 to 1.201, p<0.001}, CAC and male sex (OR=3.762, 95% CI 1.339 to 10.569, p=0.012), and CAC and T-score of L-spine (OR=0.740, 95% CI 0.550 to 0.996, p=0.047) using a forward multiple logistic regression analysis model including clinical variables of gender, age, lipid profile, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, and BMD. But in patients without MetS, BMD by itself was not found to contribute to CAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMD was inversely correlated with CAC only in patients with MetS. This finding suggests that low BMD accompanied by MetS, may have significant clinical implications.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hyung Tak
authors: HT
authors: Lee
authors: Jinho
authors: J
authors: Shin
authors: Young-Hyo
authors: YH
authors: Lim
authors: Bae Keun
authors: BK
authors: Kim
authors: Young Taek
authors: YT
authors: Kim
authors: Jae Ung
authors: JU
authors: Lee
authors: Sangmo
authors: S
authors: Hong
authors: Soon Young
authors: SY
authors: Song
authors: Sam Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Cho