Correlation between bone mineral density and plasma lipids in Taiwan

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Depression is controversially linked to osteoporosis and low cholesterol.
• Investigating the potential relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and plasma cholesterol is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the correlation between BMD and plasma cholesterol levels.
• To analyze factors influencing BMD in a diverse population.

Main Methods:

• 5000 individuals (2170 males, 2830 females) underwent health check-ups, including BMD measurement via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
• Data collected included physical examinations, fasting blood tests, and questionnaires.
• Subjects were stratified into male, female, and post-menopausal female groups.

Main Results:

• BMD was negatively correlated with age in males and positively with body mass index (BMI) in both sexes.
• In females, BMD showed negative correlations with age, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), triglycerides (TG), and hemoglobin (Hgb), and positive correlations with BMI and platelet count.
• No significant correlation was found between BMD and cholesterol levels across all groups.

Conclusions:

• No direct correlation exists between bone mineral density and cholesterol levels.
• The study implies that depression's link to cholesterol and BMD may be influenced by various confounding factors.
• A negative correlation between BMD and FPG was observed specifically in females over 50.