engleski

The relationship between bone mineral density and homocysteine and folate levels in croatian peri- and postmenopausal women

Aims: Confusing data exist regarding the relation between homocysteine (Hcy) and bone loss in peri- and postmenopausal women. The aim of this study was to investigate relationship between bone mineral density and Hcy and folate levels in a group of Croatian peri- and postmenopausal women. Methods: Participants were 130 women with mean age 53.8 ± 4.8 years (age range 45-64 years). BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray apsorptiometry (DXA ; Lunar-Prodigy, Madison, WI). Measurements were made at the left femoral neck and lumbar spine (L1-L4). Overnight fasting blood samples were drawn in order to measure serum and erythrocyte (RBC) folate and plasma Hcy. Subjects were divided into 2 categories based on their T-score: T-score > -1.5(normal bone mineral density (BMD)) and T-score ≤ -1.5 (lower BMD – osteopenia or osteoporosis) on either femur or lumbar spine. Results: The mean age of normal BMD group was 53.4 years, and for lower BMD group was 55.1 years. Normal bone mineral density had 75% of participants and T-score ≤ -1.5 had 25% of 130 women. Only 1 participant had an osteoporosis (T-score ≤ -2.5) on both femur and lumbar spine. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the normal BMD group was statistically higher than mean BMI of lower BMD group (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between groups for the mean plasma Hcy and serum and RBC folate. Conclusions: Our results showed that Hcy and folate levels were not related with BMD in the group of peri- and postmenopausal women. In the context of other similar studies and based on this preliminary results we incline to the opinion that BMD mainly reflects bone mineralization and provides only an integral measure of bone metabolism over time but not the current status of bone metabolism. However, future studies including intervention studies are necessary to establish the association between Hcy level, folate level and osteoporosis.

BMD; homocysteine; women

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