title: Low bone mineral density predicts incident heart failure in men and women: the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition)-Norfolk prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is unknown whether bone mineral density as a measure of osteoporosis is associated with development of heart failure.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Recent evidence suggests shared risk factors between heart failure and osteoporosis. Additionally, patients with osteoporosis are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the prospective association of bone mineral density measured as broadband ultrasound attenuation by quantitative ultrasound of the heel with incident heart failure events in 13,666 apparently healthy persons 42 to 82 years of age participating in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study in Norfolk, United Kingdom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a mean follow-up of 9.3 years, 380 incident cases of heart failure occurred. The risk of heart failure decreased with increasing bone mineral density. The hazard ratios comparing each quartile with the lowest were 0.40 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.27 to 0.59), 0.54 (95% CI: 0.37 to 0.79), and 0.46 (95% CI: 0.32 to 0.68) in analysis adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, occupational social class, educational level, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol concentration, and body mass index (p for trend = 0.002), with a 23% risk decrease associated with every increase in 1 standard deviation of bone mineral density (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.89). The association was stronger with heart failure without (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.89) than with antecedent myocardial infarction (HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed an inverse association between bone mineral density and the risk of heart failure in apparently healthy individuals. Our findings give support for cardiac assessment in people with reduced bone mineral density and warrant further exploration of underlying biological mechanisms linking osteoporosis and heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department III of Internal Medicine, Heart Centre of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: roman.pfister@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.affiliation: Department III of Internal Medicine, Heart Centre of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luben
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nick J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Wareham
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kay-Tee
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Khaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: bone mineral density; heart failure; osteoporosis