Bone mineral density in Kuwaiti patients with end-stage renal disease

This study compared an ethnically uniform group of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Kuwaiti patients with a control group of healthy Kuwaiti subjects, in terms of their bone mineral density (BMD) and anthropometric measurements.

Included in the study were 94 males and 129 females with a mean age of 48 ± 10 years. Forty-five males and 53 females had ESRD. The remaining 49 males and 26 females were the control subjects. BMD was measured at total lumbar spine (L1-L4) and total left hip, using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (HOLOGIC, QRS series, Europe, Belgium). The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 15 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill., USA). The difference in BMD and the anthropometric measurements between the ESRD patients and the controls was assessed. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine independent effects of ESRD on BMD while adjusting for relevant covariates.

The ESRD patients had a lower BMD than the controls at the hip (0.81 ± 0.11 vs. 0.92 ± 0.16) and the spine (0.84 ± 0.12 vs. 0.92 ± 0.16), p < 0.001. They also had a lower body mass index (27.80 ± 6.03 vs. 30.85 ± 6.54; p < 0.001) and were taller (162.56 ± 15.31 vs. 156.94 cm ± 10.03; p < 0.01). The reduced BMD persisted after controlling for confounding effects of sex, age and anthropometric measurements (p < 0.001).

Kuwaiti patients with ESRD had a lower BMD and, therefore, an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.