Sex-difference in bone architecture and bone fragility in Vietnamese

Area of Science:

• Bone biology and health
• Human anatomy and physiology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Sex differences in bone parameters are crucial for understanding osteoporosis risk.
• Previous research indicates variations in bone density and structure between males and females.
• Understanding these differences in specific populations, like Vietnamese individuals, is essential for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and define the sex-specific differences in trabecular and cortical bone parameters within a Vietnamese population.
• To analyze how age influences these bone parameters differently between men and women.
• To assess the impact of these sex- and age-related differences on bone strength.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1404 women and 864 men (aged 20-86 years) from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) was used to measure volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) of trabecular and cortical bone at the proximal tibia and radius.
• Multiple linear regression models were employed to assess changes in bone parameters and estimate the polar strength strain index.

Main Results:

• Women exhibited significantly lower peak trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) at the radius and tibia compared to men in the 20-39 age group.
• Age-related reductions in trabecular BMD were similar between sexes, while cortical BMD showed greater age-related decline in women.
• The polar strength strain index was consistently lower in women, primarily due to differences in cortical bone area and total bone mass.

Conclusions:

• Sex differences in trabecular bone density in older Vietnamese individuals originate during skeletal growth.
• Sex differences in cortical bone density are primarily driven by differential rates of age-related bone loss between men and women.
• These findings highlight distinct pathways influencing bone health trajectories in men and women, with implications for fracture prevention strategies.