Endocrine Abstracts

Bone mass density and beta cross laps have been recognized as valid tests for the diagnostic and treatment control, as well as fracture prediction for osteoporotic patients. Statin treatment has been reported to be associated with a reduced risk fracture in these patients also. However, no studies, as of our knowledge, have tried to see if adding the lipid profile to the analysis of body mass density would improve the statistical power of prediction for any of the afore mentioned events.

In our study 613 osteoporotic (T-score mean −3.16, S.D. 0.81) postmenopausal (mean 15.79 years, S.D. 8.88 years.) women were enrolled and they were grouped according to age (under 50 years, 51–60 years, 61–70 years, over 70 years) and the presence/absence of a history of bone fracture. Bone mass density was not correlated with body mass index (P>0.05, r²<0.02). However, when bone mass density was correlated with both body mass index and the lipid profile (represented by triglycerides, cholesterol, LDLc, HDLc,) we obtained very good correlations in nine of the 12 groups, with five of them having a great statistical power: under 51 years (n=72, r²=0.27, P=0.11) with fractures (n=56, r²=0.38, P=0.37), 51–60 years with fractures (n=61, r²=0.14, P<0.01), 61–70 years (n=201, r²=0.09, P<0.01) with fractures (n=88, r²=0.14, P<0.01) or without fractures (n=113, r²=0.24, P=0.02) and over 70 years (n=247, r²=0.11, P<0.01) with fractures (n=67, r²=0.35, P=0.11) or without fractures (n=51, r²=0.35, P=0.08). Similar results were obtained when bone mass density was correlated with alkaline phosphatase or 25OH Vitamin D or beta cross laps and the lipid profile.

Although we recognize the limitations of this study (the lack of complete data for some our patients and of statistical power in a part of the correlations), we consider that this pilot study opens a new perspective on the management of osteoporosis.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.