title: Panoramic images of white and black post-menopausal females evidencing carotid calcifications are at high risk of comorbid osteopenia of the femoral neck.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Femoral neck fractures in older females resulting from decreased bone mineral density (BMD; osteopenia) are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Bone mineralization inhibition is probably controlled by proteins which also foster vascular calcification. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship between calcified carotid artery plaque (CCAP) on panoramic images and BMD on dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone scans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Images and hospital records identified by dentists defined two study groups (20 white females and 24 black females) having CCAP and an incidentally obtained bone scan. Ethnically matched (age±7 years, body mass index ±3 units) control groups with panoramic images devoid of CCAP and accompanying DXA scan were likewise constituted. A physician determined the BMD on the DXA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females with CCAP had significantly (p = 0.03) poorer BMD at the femoral neck than those without CCAP. Although mean femoral neck BMD was significantly lower (p = 0.009) for white than for black females, there was no significant interaction between race and CCAP (p = 0.80).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a significant inverse association between the CCAP on panoramic images and femoral neck BMD in post-menopausal white females.
authors.affiliation: VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA. arthur.friedlander@med.va.gov
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aghazadehsanai
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Berenji
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Garrett
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000208:ethnology; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*