title: Distribution of bone mineral content is associated with body weight and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although low bone mineral density is highly prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the distribution of the reduced bone mass has not been fully elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine regional bone mass loss in patients with COPD and investigate whether the change in distribution may be associated with body weight loss and functional capacity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body mass index (BMI) was assessed, and height squared indices were derived for the bone mineral content index (BMCI) of the arms, legs and trunk by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 45 male patients with COPD and 12 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Pulmonary function tests were performed, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BMCI was lower in the total bone, legs and trunk of patients with COPD than in control subjects, although the BMCI in the arms was similar between the groups. BMI correlated significantly with the BMCI in all 3 segments. Bone mineral content (BMC) in the trunk, expressed as a percentage of total BMC (BMC trunk/total BMC), correlated significantly with BMI. The BMCI in the trunk was closely related with VO2max but not with airflow limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a regional difference in BMC reduction, but a predominant reduction of bone mass in the trunk was not associated with the severity of airflow limitation but rather with body weight loss and exercise intolerance. These data suggest that body weight loss and exercise intolerance are important risk factors for vertebral fracture in patients with COPD.
authors: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan.
authors: Yoshifumi
authors: Y
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Tomoda
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Fujita
authors: Motoo
authors: M
authors: Yamauchi
authors: Atsuhiko
authors: A
authors: Fukuoka
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Tamaki
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Koyama
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D015519:Bone Density; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests