Serum osteocalcin levels in relation to metabolic syndrome in Chinese postmenopausal women

Objective: It has been revealed that osteocalcin is a regulator of energy metabolism. We investigated the relationship between serum osteocalcin levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese postmenopausal women. Methods: A total of 1,789 postmenopausal women, aged 41 to 78 years, were selected from four communities in Shanghai, China. Serum levels of osteocalcin were measured with an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The diagnostic definition of MetS followed the 2007 Chinese Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Adults. Results: Serum osteocalcin levels were significantly lower in participants with MetS than in non-MetS participants (median [interquartile range], 18.51 [15.52-23.46] vs 21.09 [16.98-26.26] ng/mL, P < 0.01). The frequency of MetS and its components decreased with increasing increments of serum osteocalcin levels (all P for trend < 0.05), with the exception of the frequency of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Serum osteocalcin levels significantly decreased with increasing number of metabolic disorders (P for trend < 0.01). Furthermore, binary logistic regression analysis revealed that participants with higher serum osteocalcin levels had lower odds ratios (ORs) for MetS (OR, 0.123; 95% CI, 0.053-0.283), central obesity (OR, 0.134; 95% CI, 0.060-0.299), and hyperglycemia (OR, 0.142; 95% CI, 0.066-0.302). Conclusions: Serum osteocalcin levels are negatively associated with MetS, particularly central obesity and hyperglycemia, in Chinese postmenopausal women.