Association of serum periostin with bone microarchitecture, muscle mass and function in Chinese postmenopausal women

High serum periostin is linked to an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. However, the relationships between serum periostin and bone microarchitecture, particularly muscle mass, and muscle function remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the relationships between serum periostin and bone mineral density, bone microarchitecture, muscle mass and function, falls, and fractures in community-dwelling Chinese postmenopausal women.

Serum periostin levels were measured in 135 Chinese postmenopausal women. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry assessed areal bone mineral density (aBMD), lumbar trabecular bone score (TBS), and muscle mass. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) evaluated bone microarchitecture. Muscle function and fall risk were assessed using handgrip strength, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Falls Risk for Older People in the Community (FROP-Com) screening tool.

The mean serum periostin was 1770.3 ± 440.4 pmol/L. Serum periostin was negatively correlated with bone microarchitecture parameters, total area (Tot.Ar), cortical perimeter (Ct.Pm), trabecular area (Tb.Ar), estimated bone strength stiffness, and failure load. Negative correlations were also found with appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), balance test scores, and gait speed. Conversely, serum periostin was positively correlated with TUG time and FROP-Com scores.

Higher serum periostin is associated with smaller bone cross-sectional area, lower estimated bone strength, reduced muscle mass, and higher fall risk, indicating its potential as a predictor for assessing skeletal and muscular health in postmenopausal women.