Osteoporosis and risk of aortic stenosis in Japanese elderly: A population-based nested case-control study

Aortic stenosis (AS), a common condition among older adults, is caused by aging and calcium metabolism, and its association with osteoporosis has garnered attention. However, the relationship between AS and osteoporosis has not been consistent across studies in Japan and globally. This study aimed to investigate the association between osteoporosis and AS in the older adult population in Japan.

We conducted a nested case-control study using an administrative database in Japan comprising 1.16 million individuals. Cases and controls were matched 1:1 based on age and sex. A conditional logistic regression model was employed for estimating the adjusted odds ratio of osteoporosis for AS, along with its 95 % confidence interval (CI), after adjusting for covariates.

Overall, 8136 cases of AS and 8136 controls aged 65 years were identified. After adjusting for covariates, the odd of exposure to osteoporosis for AS was 0.887 (95 % CI, 0.778-1.01), indicating no significant association between the two conditions. However, significant associations were observed for diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Additionally, the use of diuretics, particularly in the late elderly, was significantly associated with AS.

The findings of this study, based on real-world data involving over one million individuals, revealed no association between AS and osteoporosis. Future research should further clarify the impact of diuretics on AS and perform a comprehensive analysis considering other factors related to the relationship between AS and osteoporosis.