[Bone metabolism and vascular calcification]

Complication of osteopenia and vascular calcification are often observed among elderly, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease patients. It remains obscure whether these two conditions merely share common risk factors or they have clear cause-result relationship. So called Moenckeberg type vascular calcification is classified into vascular ossification from the perspective of biomineralization mechanism. Vascular ossification has already begun before calcified deposition appears there. Thus, it is not simple to consider about its relationship with osteopenia.