Relationship between Plasma Lipids and Osteoporosis in Korean Postmenopausal Women

Background: Recent studies have suggested associations between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and osteoporosis and between serum lipids and osteoporosis. However, there are only a few studies about the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and serum lipids in Koreans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of serum lipid levels with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in Korea. Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of 1,093 Korean postmenopausal women who visited a university hospital for medical checkup from March 2007 to March 2009. Anthropometric measurements and blood tests were done for body mass index (BMI), plasma lipids, and fasting glucose. BMD was measured using a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood pressure was taken. After the subjects were classified into three groups (osteoporosis, osteopenia, or normal) by lumbar or femur BMD, the correlation between serum lipids and BMD was analyzed. Results: Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower in the osteoporosis group (52.74 +/- 13.94 mg/dL) than in the other two groups (osteopenia, 56.22 +/- 13.40 mg/dL; normal, 56.54 +/- 13.22 mg/dL; p=0.007) when participants were grouped by lumbar BMD. In addition, serum triglyceride in the osteoporosis group was higher than in the other two groups. The results were statistically significant after adjusting for confounding factors including age, BMI and blood pressure. However, there was no significant difference when grouped by femur BMD. Conclusion: With decreasing lumbar BMD, we saw lower HDL-C levels and higher triglyceride levels. Osteoporosis may play a role as a risk factor for CVD through its relationships with lumbar BMD and serum lipids.