title: Cardiovascular calcification and subcortical bone demineralization in hypertension.
abstract: The present study investigated cardiovascular calcification, peripheral bone mineral density (BMD), and lab indices in hypertensive patients aged 55-74 years without severe kidney dysfunction. Cardiovascular calcification was investigated by ultrasound examinations at eight sites: aortic valve, left and right common carotid artery, left and right carotid artery bifurcation, left and right internal carotid artery, and abdominal aorta. The presence/absence of calcification at each site was coded as 1/0, respectively, for the calculation of a cumulative score. Peripheral bone mineral density was assessed by forearm quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and was defined as low if the T-score was <-1. Lab work-up included plasma creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone and 25-(OH) vitamin D measurements. Ninety-one patients were studied. The range was 2-8 for the calcification score and 229-492 mg cm-3for bone mineral density. The prevalence of low bone densitometry was 83.5%. The calcification score and bone densitometry were inversely correlated in a non-adjusted analysis (R=-0.297, P=0.004) and in multivariable regression (beta=-0.335, P=0.003). The association was significant for subcortical bone (beta=-0.302, P=0.007) but not for cortical bone or trabecular bone (P⩾0.194 in both cases). The calcification score was associated with a low prevalence of bone densitometry in the non-adjusted analysis (odds ratio=2.53, 95% CI=1.41/4.54, P=0.002) and in the multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio=2.46, 95% CI=1.25/4.81, P=0.009). Cardiovascular calcification was independently associated with peripheral bone densitometry in hypertensive patients. The data support the hypothesis that vascular calcification and low bone densitometry share some determinants in hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Second University of Naples, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cirillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bilancio
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Second University of Naples, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Second University of Naples, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Concilio
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Second University of Naples, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Second University of Naples, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calabrò
authors.affiliation: Department of Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cirillo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018488:Bone Demineralization, Pathologic; D015519:Bone Density; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061205:Vascular Calcification