The relationship between volumetric thoracic bone mineral density and coronary calcification in men and women – results from the Copenhagen General Population Study

Abstract Background The association between low bone mineral density (BMD) and the presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) as a marker of atherosclerosis is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the potential relationship between volumetric thoracic bone mineral density and coronary calcification in a large population of men and women. Methods Participants from the Copenhagen General Population Study underwent multidetector computed tomography. Volumetric thoracic BMD and CAC were assessed in the same scan. CAC was measured using calibrated mass score (cMS). cMS was dichotomized as cMS = 0 or cMS > 0. The association between BMD and cMS was analyzed using multiple logistic regression in men, premenopausal and postmenopausal women. The model was adjusted for age, BMI, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, known cardiovascular disease and smoking. Results Of 2548 eligible participants, 1163 men and 1385 women, mean age 61 ± 10 were included in the study. Mean BMD was 138 ± 46 mg/cm 3 for men and 151 ± 49 mg/cm 3 women. In 696 men (67%) and 537 women (41%) cMS was found to be above zero. For men, a decrease in BMD of 100 mg/cm 3 was associated to an odds ratio of 1.49 for cMS > 0 (95% confidence interval: 1.04–2.13, P  = 0.03). In postmenopausal women, a decrease in BMD of 100 mg/cm 3 was associated to an odds ratio of 1.47 for MS > 0 (95% confidence interval: 1.04–2.08, P  = 0.03). For premenopausal women, no significant association was found between BMD and cMS (odds ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.36–1.52, P  = 0.4). Conclusion Bone mineral density and coronary calcification are inversely related in both men and postmenopausal women, supporting the hypothesis that a direct relation between bone loss and development of atherosclerosis exists irrespective of gender.