Effect of degenerative spinal and aortic calcification on bone density measurements in post‐menopausal women: links between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease?

Abstract

The effect of spinal degenerative changes and aortic calcification on bone mineral density measurements was studied in 115 healthy early post-menopausal women. Lateral lumbar spine radiographs and quantitative computer tomography images were used to determine the presence and severity of aortic calcification and degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Women with spinal degenerative calcification had higher spine bone density when measured by dual photon absorptiometry compared to those without calcification (P < 0.01), but this was not reflected by the quantitative computer tomography or the proximal femur bone densities, suggesting that spinal calcification artefactually increases spinal bone density when measured by dual photon techniques. Women with aortic calcification had significantly lower quantitative computer tomography and proximal femur bone density compared to those without calcification (both P < 0.05). These women may be at increased risk for both osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, suggesting a common aetiological factor such as oestrogen deficiency.

osteoprotegerin-deficient mice develop early onset osteoporosis and arterial calcification

“…Most of the OPG −/− mice died or were moribund by 6 months of age due to complications associated with gross skeletal changes. The association of vascular calcification with osteoporosis in patient populations is a recognized phenomenon (Banks et al 1994; Parhami and Demer 1997; Postnatal osteoporosis in OPG-deficient mice . The mineral within calcified plaques in the vasculature has been determined to be hydroxyapatite, the same mineral found in bone (Schmid et al 1980).…”

“…Osteoporosis in human populations has been associated with a higher incidence of arterial calcification, a component of many atherosclerotic lesions (Banks et al 1994;. Common factors may underlie the pathogenesis of these two diseases.…”

Repression of osteocyte Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an early event in the progression of renal osteodystrophy

“…(5)(6)(7)(8) Importantly, deviation from the normal range of serum bone biomarkers predicts an increased risk of cardiovascular events, (9) and impaired bone remodeling is associated with increased vascular calcification. (10) In the general population, individuals with osteoporosis have increased atherosclerosis and coronary artery calcification (11)(12)(13)(14) and there is an inverse relationship between coronary artery calcification and bone mineral density (BMD) in both normal and CKD patients. (15) Agents that enhance bone quality also reduce cardiovascular calcification.…”

Gender- and region-specific alterations in bone metabolism in Scarb1-null female mice

“…Genetic control of bone mass is polygenic and the specific genes involved are beginning to be enumerated, such as genetic variants/mutations of vitamin D and estrogen receptors (Mitchell & Yerges-Armstrong 2011). Recent attention has been given to atherogenic conditions with low HDL plasma levels as factors compromising bone health, and numerous associations, have been revealed between lower bone mass and cardiovascular diseases (Banks et al 1994, Uyama et al 1997, Barengolts et al 1998, von der Recke et al 1999, Hegsted 2001, Yamaguchi et al 2002, Poli et al 2003, Adami et al 2004, Orozco 2004. In accordance, a positive correlation between plasma HDL levels and bone mass has been reported by epidemiological studies (reviewed in Ackert-Bicknell (2012)), suggesting that, in addition to protecting against atherosclerosis, HDL contribute to a healthy environment for bones.…”