title: Relationship of elongated styloid process in digital panoramic radiography with carotid intima thickness and carotid atheroma in Doppler ultrasonography in osteoporotic females.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are major health dilemmas. Osteoporotic patients frequently display vascular calcification that consequently increases the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the relation of osteoporosis, vascular calcification (atheroma, intima-media thickness (IMT)) and elongated styloid process (ESP) in a sample of osteoporotic and normal female individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study recruited 78 women who were assessed for bone mass density (BMD). Sample included individuals with normal BMD (n=13, 17 %), osteopenia (n=36, 46 %), and osteoporosis (n=29, 37%). The presence of atheroma and IMT was examined using color Doppler ultrasonography (CD-US). In addition, digital panoramic radiographs (PRs) were obtained to assess ESP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 55 subjects (70%) with low BMD exhibited at least one side ESP. Femoral BMD decreased significantly in subjects with ESP (p= 0.03). Bilateral ESP was correlated with the presence of atheroma (p= 0.029). The CIMT was greater in patients with ESP, although the relation was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained data suggest referring the aged individuals with ESP for BMD assessment and individuals with low bone mass and ESP for more cardiovascular risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: DDS, MSc in Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Dental Research Development Center, School of Dentistry, Shiraz university of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamedani
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Dabbaghmanesh
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mahvash
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasani
authors.affiliation: Private dentist, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torabi Ardakani
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasani
authors.affiliation: Biomaterial Research Center, Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Shoaleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahidi
keywords: Carotid atheroma; Carotid intima thickness; Digital radiography; Doppler ultrasonography; Panoramic radiography