University of Southampton scientists have discovered a link between coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, suggesting that both conditions could have similar causes. In one of the first studies of its kind to use a special scanning technique, researchers found that people with a history of heart disease had substantially lower cortical volumetric bone mineral density in their wrist bone (the distal radius) than those without.
Using a state-of-the-art technique called high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography, the researchers were able to visualise multiple layers of the wrist bone, in much the same way a 3D printer might build up layers of an object. These cross- sectional visuals were used to assess symptoms of osteoporosis – a condition that weakens bones, making them more vulnerable to fractures and breaks.
The technique was used on 350 men and women, aged 70–85 years, who had enrolled on the Hertfordshire Cohort Study. The findings, published recently in Osteoporosis International, show that cortical volumetric bone mineral density was lower among participants with coronary heart disease (or ischaemic heart disease) such as angina, heart attack or heart failure. The effect was more prominent in women than in men.
Professor Cyrus Cooper said: “This is one of the first studies to use this technology to explore bone geometry, density and microstructure in patients with heart disease. The findings highlight the need to evaluate a history of heart disease in the management of osteoporosis in older people, and further research is also needed to provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms which explain the link between osteoporosis and heart disease.”
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