Plasma homocysteine level is a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures in elderly patients

Figures & data

Table 1 General characteristics, plasma Hcy level, BTB, and BMD in the three groups

Factors	OPF group	HEF group	NF group	F-value	P-value
Age (years old)	81.82±5.49	78.88±5.75	79.75±5.47	2.179	0.122
Sex (female %)	61.54	72.73	66.67	–	0.385
Hcy (µmol/L)	17.21±5.99*	10.82±3.60	12.91±4.32	9.483	0.000
S-CTX (pg/mL)	621.89±383.19	474.81±220.71	473.57±278.22	1.427	0.248
Osteocalcin (ng/mL)	16.57±11.08	13.87±5.28	16.43±8.61	0.540	0.586
PINP (ng/mL)	72.40±60.18	74.37±55.96	53.14±26.23	0.676	0.513
PTH (pg/mL)	69.75±143.88	43.66±29.24	44.11±20.38	0.437	0.648
25-(OH) Vit D (ng/mL)	13.77±7.85#	18.79±4.84	18.70±3.19	4.792	0.012
L1–L4 BMD (g/cm^2)	0.79±0.17#	0.99±0.21	0.95±0.18	3.750	0.037
Hip BMD (g/cm^2)	0.65±0.11*	0.81±0.13	0.85±0.24	5.473	0.009

Notes: Data presented as mean ± standard deviation unless stated otherwise.

* P<0.01 compared with either HEF or NF group,

# P<0.05 compared with either HEF or NF group. “–” indicates no data.

Abbreviations: BMD, bone mineral density; BTB, bone turnover biomarker; Hcy, homocysteine; HEF, high-energy fracture; L1–L4, lumbar spine; NF, non-fracture; OPF, osteoporotic fracture; PINP, procollagen type I intact N-terminal propeptide; PTH, parathyroid hormone; S-CTX, serum C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen.

Table 2 Comparisons of plasma Hcy, 25-(OH) Vit D, hip and lumbar spine BMD among the three groups

Comparisons	Hcy	25(OH) D	Hip BMD	Lumbar spine BMD
OPF vs HEF group	0.000	0.033	0.034	0.052
OPF vs NF group	0.024	0.048	0.022	0.143
HEF vs NF group	0.498	0.999	0.869	0.935

Abbreviations: BMD, bone mineral density; Hcy, homocysteine; HEF, high-energy fracture; NF, non-fracture; OPF, osteoporotic fracture.

Table 3 Multiple regression analysis of plasma Hcy level with all other parameters

Factor	Hcy	P-value
	R
Age (years old)*	0.386	−0.01
S-CTX (pg/mL)*	0.324	0.003
Osteocalcin (ng/mL)	0.115	0.307
P1NP (ng/mL)	0.039	0.732
25(OH) D (ng/mL)	−0.211	0.058
L1–L4 BMD (g/cm^2)	−0.106	0.533
Hip BMD (g/cm^2)	−0.221	0.183

Note:

* P<0.01.

Abbreviations: 25(OH) D, 25-hydroxy vitamin D; BMD, bone mineral density; Hcy, homocysteine; P1NP, procollagen type I intact N-terminal propeptide; S-CTX, serum C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen.