Low Bone Mineral Density as a Predictor of Mortality and Infections in Stroke Patients: A Hospital-Based Study

Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been linked to elevated risks of mortality and infections in the general population; however, its association with these outcomes in stroke patients remains unclear.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between low BMD and risks of mortality and infections among stroke patients in a Taiwanese cohort.

In this single-center retrospective cohort study, 905 stroke patients from a Taiwanese database (2000-2022) were analyzed. Patients were grouped based on BMD measurements of the femur and spine. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes included urinary tract infection (UTI) and pneumonia. Accelerated failure time regression model analyses evaluated the association between BMD and these outcomes, while the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test assessed survival differences between groups.

Among the participants (average age 76.1 years, 70.5% female), 33.82% had osteopenia and 55.25% had osteoporosis. Stroke patients with lower spine and right femur BMD had significantly reduced survival rates, especially when the BMD value fell below 0.842 g/cm2 (spine), and 0.624 g/cm2 (right femur), respectively. Regarding secondary outcomes, lower spine BMD was significantly associated with an increased risk of UTI.

Low BMD, particularly in the femur and spine, is a significant predictor of mortality and UTI in stroke patients. These findings highlight the importance of assessing and managing BMD in stroke patients to improve outcomes and reduce complications.