The Relationship of Statins Usage and Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women

Osteoporosis is a common disease that is most prevalent in postmenopausal women. Statins are lipid lowering agents and their role in increasing bone mineral density has been reported in many studies. We conducted this study to evaluate the relationship of statin consumption and bone density in postmenopausal women. 350 patients with a mean age of 62.03 ± 6.12 years (range: 43-82 years) were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements at hip, lumbar spines (L2, L3, and L4), greater trochanter and femur neck. Statin usage by patients was recorded. Results [showed as T-score and bone mineral density (BMD) in g/cm2] were compared between the patients who were or were not taking statins. The patients were divided in three groups according to T-score (normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic). Then, the data were analyzed using chi-square (for qualitative variables), t (for quantitative variables) and the Mann-Whitney tests via SPSS18 software. Significant differences were found between the two groups in mean BMD of lumbar spines (L2, L3, and L4), greater trochanter and femur neck. Statin users had higher BMD. No significant difference in BMD of hip was observed. Frequency distribution of patients with osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal density of lumbar spines (L2, L3, and L4) and femur neck in two groups was found to be significantly different. Statins showed to have positive impact on bone density in lumbar spines (L2, L3, and L4), greater trochanter and femur neck, but in BMD of hip no significant difference was observed. According to the results of this study, statins can have an important role in prevention of osteoporosis.