title: Bone mineral density and coronary atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between low bone mineral density (BMD) and atherosclerosis is still unknown. In this study BMD assessed in patients with and without coronary artery atherosclerosis is determined by angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 123 consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography were evaluated by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Obstructive CAD was diagnosed when ⩾50% of lumen was narrowed. Conventional atherosclerosis risk factors were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 59 ± 8 years. There was frequency of 48.7% male. The prevalence of diabetes was 31.2%, hypertension 57%, dyslipoproteinaemia 51%, vitamin D deficiency 50% and history of smoking 80.8%. Coronary angiography was normal in 15 patients (12.6%) while 67 patients (55.5%) had obstructive CAD. DXA scan showed 25 patients (21%) with normal BMD, 39 patients (32.7%) with osteopenia, and 55 others (46.2%) with osteoporosis. Lower BMD results were significantly associated with older age and lower BMI but it was not associated significantly with diabetes, hypertension, lipids levels or smoking. Moreover the prevalence of obstructive CAD and minimal CAD differed between groups with normal and low bone density but this was not significant (p = 0.67 and 0.52, respectively). The mean T score comparison between patients with and without CAD was also not different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with and without obstructive CAD the prevalence of low BMD results are not different.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shokoofeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajsadeghi
authors.forename: Mohamad-Ebrahim
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Khamseh
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abedin
authors.forename: Anoushiravan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vakili-Zarch
authors.forename: Amir-Pasha
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Meysamie
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yazdanpanah
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Coronary angiography; Low bone mineral density; T score