title: Association of coronary artery calcium with bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis (OP) are common diseases in elderly individuals and may share common pathogenetic mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 186 postmenopausal women 50-80 years of age were included. BMD of the spine and femoral neck was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The coronary artery calcium score (CACS) was measured by multidetector computed tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included postmenopausal women aged 65.6±7.3 years, 109 of whom (58.6%) showed CAC. Thirty-three (17.7%) of the patients were found to have OP in the lumbar spine and 83 (44.6%) had osteopenia, whereas in the femoral neck, 26 patients (14.0%) had OP and 87 patients (46.8%) had osteopenia. The mean CACS was 57.6±108.3 in normal status, 89.7±143.5 in OP, and 156.4±256.9 in osteopenia at the spine (P<0.05). The mean CACS was 43.2±89.9 in normal status, 126.9±180.3 in OP, and 198.2±301.2 in osteopenia at the femoral neck (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that BMD was an independent marker for an increased risk of developing CAC in postmenopausal women. The multiple regression model showed that T-scores were the independent predictors of CACS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMD identified on images from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were strongly related to multidetector computed tomography measures of CAC. This low-cost, minimal radiation technique used widely for OP screening is a promising marker of generalized coronary atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: No. 4 Department of Health Care for Cadres, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hong-Ni
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yu-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing-Fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ai-Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayiti
authors.forename: Xin-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Guli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banu
authors.forename: Li-Dang
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Yasinjan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maimti
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*