Osteoporosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

One of the extrapulmonary effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is characterized by a low bone mineral density (BMD).

The aim of this study was to determine relationship between bone mineral density and severity of COPD and body mass index (BMI).

in this study 85 COPD patients were recruited. Diagnosis and severity of COPD was made according to the GOLD guidelines. Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated. BMD (at the lumbar spine and at the femoral neck) were performed using Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). BMD was expressed in g/cm2 and standardized T-score.

The increase of COPD severity leads to the decrease of average values of BMD (femoral neck p = 0.005; lumbar spine p = 0.026), as well as T score (femoral neck p = 0.026; lumbar spine = 0.156). Also, the decrease of BMI leads to the decrease of average values of BMD (femoral neck p = 0.034; lumbar spine p = 0.269) and T score (femoral neck p = 0.001; lumbar spine p = 0.105), as well as to the increase of total osteoporosis (p = 0.009).

patients with severe COPD and lowe BMI have lower BMD and T score and more frequently have osteoporosis.