A cross-sectional study exploring useful indicators for low bone mineral density in male alcoholic patients

Figures & data

Figure 1 T-score distribution in male alcoholic patients (n=275). A vertical line shows zero standard deviation. The mean T-score was −0.75±1.36.

Table 1 Subject characteristics

Characteristics, n	T-score ≥−1 SD	T-score <−1 SD	p-value
	137	138
Age, years (mean ± SD)	51.7±12.4	54.5±11.1	0.052
Height, cm (mean ± SD)	168.6±7.7	167.3±7.4	0.159
Weight, kg (mean ± SD)	65.1±11.3	58.7±9.5	<0.001
BMI, kg/m^2 (mean ± SD)	22.8±3.2	20.9±3.0	<0.001
Drinking habits
Alcohol intake, drinks/day (mean ± SD)	20.8±8.8	19.1±9.3	0.108
Drinking period, years (mean ± SD)	30.3±11.8	32.3±10.0	0.130
Abstinence period ≥6 m, n (%)	44 (32.1)	64 (46.4)	0.021
Continuous drinking, n (%)	59 (43.1)	70 (50.7)	0.231
Smoking habits
Smoking history, n (%)	99 (72.3)	120 (87.0)	<0.001
Brinkman indexa	440 (0, 678)	600 (290, 960)	<0.001
Complications
Total complications, n (%)	77 (56.2)	86 (62.3)	0.330
– Hypertension, n (%)	32 (23.4)	33 (23.9)	0.909
– Diabetes mellitus, n (%)	20 (14.6)	17 (12.3)	0.581
– Liver cirrhosis, n (%)	10 (7.3)	19 (13.4)	0.083
– Depression, n (%)	41 (29.9)	37 (26.8)	0.591
Exercise habit, n (%)	51 (37.2)	54 (39.1)	0.798

Note:

a Brinkman index values are represented as the median with interquartile range in parentheses.

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Laboratory marker serum levels of subjects

Subjects, n	T-score ≥−1 SD	T-score <−1 SD	p-value
	137	138
AST (U/L)	30.2 (21.8, 46.5)	31.1 (22.8, 45.0)	0.701
ALT (U/L)	26.0 (16.5, 39.0)	21.5 (15.0, 40.5)	0.303
ALP (U/L)	259.2±90.8	279.0±106.2	0.101
ChE (U/L)	295.8±90.2	264.8±72.8	0.002
γ-GTP (U/L)	68 (33.0, 187.0)	71.5 (31.3, 191.1)	0.462
LDH (U/L)	193.4±49.8	199.4±56.1	0.352
ucOC (ng/mL)	3.1 (1.5, 5.0)	4.0 (2.2, 6.4)	0.022
TRACP-5b (mU/dL)	387.2±186.8	471.7±210.4	<0.001

Notes: ALP, ChE, LDH are the arithmetic mean ± SD. AST, ALT, γ-GTP, ucOC values are the median with interquartile range in parentheses.

Abbreviations: AST, aspartate transaminase; ALT, alanine transaminase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ChE, cholinesterase; γ-GTP, gamma-glutamyltransferase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; ucOC, undercarboxylated osteocalcin; TRACP-5b, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b.

Figure 2 Receiver operating characteristic curve according to logistic regression analysis.

Notes: The predictors were body mass index, abstinence period, smoking history, hypertension, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) serum activity and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC). Predictors discriminated well between the normal and low bone mineral density (BMD) groups (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.73, p<0.001, 95% CI: 0.67–0.79).

Table 3 Multivariate logistic regression analysis of major factors of low T-score in 275 male subjects

Variablesa	Regression coefficient	p-value	OR (95% CI) of low BMDb
BMI, kg/m^2	−0.20	<0.001	0.82 (0.75, 0.90)
Abstinence period (≥6 m)	0.44	0.002	2.41 (1.40, 4.21)
Smoking history	0.50	0.005	2.72 (1.30, 5.56)
Hypertension	0.34	0.040	1.96 (1.04. 3.76)
LDH	<0.01	0.038	1.01 (1.00, 1.01)
ucOC	0.12	0.004	1.13 (1.04, 1.22)

Notes:

a Variables in multivariate logistic analysis were eliminated by backward stepwise method.

b Low BMD was defined as T-score less than −1 SD according to World Health Organization criteria.

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; BMD, bone mineral density; BMI, body mass index; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; ucOC, undercarboxylated osteocalcin.

Figure S1 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of undercarboxylated osteocalcin according to simple logistic regression analysis.

Notes: ROC curve analysis did not discriminate between the normal and low bone mineral density (BMD) groups (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.60, p=0.005, 95% confidence interval: 0.53–0.66) when undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) was set as a predictor.