Relation between bone mineral density and coronary artery disease

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are the two important life threatening factors that cause morbidity and mortality. Previous studies had showed that bone mineral density is decreased with progression of atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease is more common in the osteoporotic patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density and coronary artery stenosis in patients who underwent coronary angiography. In this study 197 patients (111female and 86 male) that underwent coronary angiography and bone mineral densitometry were evaluated. According to angiographic data, patients were divided to two group: first group had coronary stenosis in ≥50% in one or more major coronary arteries and second group with normal coronary artery or stenosis <50%. Mean bone mineral density(gr/cm2)was measured in the lumbar spine and hip by using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and T-score was determined. T-score > -1 as normal, T-score -1 to -2.5 as osteopenia, and T-score <-2.5 as osteoporosis were described. Finally the relationship between coronary artery stenosis and bone mineral density was evaluated by SPSS statistical software version 15 with using suitable statistical test. The mean age of sample was 57±11.32). 33% of patients had osteoporosis in lumbar spine and 24.2% of them in femoral neck.Significant coronary artery stenosis were seen in 67.9% of patients. There were no significant difference between lumbar and hip bone mineral density in patients with significant coronary disease and subjects without coronary artery disease. There were no associations between coronary artery disease and osteoporosis. Further studies are recommended for confirmation of this relationship.