Inverse association between bone mineral density and fibrinogen in menopausal women

Abstract

Objective

Inflammatory diseases are risk factors for osteoporosis. We aimed to explore whether fibrinogen, which is linked to chronic inflammation, is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in menopausal women.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 339 menopausal women from Zhejiang Province between January 2016 and October 2019. Linear regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between fibrinogen and BMD.

Results

Significant inverse association was observed between the serum fibrinogen level and BMD in menopausal women. The mean BMD in each quartile of fibrinogen level was 0.901, 0.897, 0.892, and 0.855 g/cm², respectively (p = 0.027). After adjusting for age, body mass index, metabolic profiles, blood inflammatory factors, and serum levels of estradiol, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase, fibrinogen levels remained significantly associated with BMD (regression coefficients for quartiles 1–3 vs. quartile 4 were 0.046, 0.027, and 0.036, respectively; p for trend <0.05).

Conclusions

Higher fibrinogen levels were associated with lower BMD in menopausal women, which was independent of age, body mass index, estradiol, and other factors. Therefore, serum fibrinogen can be used as a new predictor of reduced BMD in menopausal women.

摘要

目的：炎症性疾病是骨质疏松的危险因素。我们的目标是探索与慢性炎症有关的纤维蛋白原是否与绝经妇女的骨密度(BMD)有关。

方法: 这是一项横断面研究, 分析了浙江省2016年1月至2019年10月期间的339名更年期女性。对纤维蛋白原与骨密度的关系进行线性回归分析。

结果：更年期妇女血清纤维蛋白原水平与骨密度呈显著负相关。每个纤维蛋白原水平四分位数上的平均骨密度分别为0.901、0.897、0.892和0.855 g/cm²(p=0.027)。在调整了年龄、体重指数、代谢特征、血液炎症因子和血清雌二醇、钙、磷和碱性磷酸酶水平后, 纤维蛋白原水平仍然与骨密度显著相关(四分位数中的第1-3与第4位的回归系数分别为0.046、0.027和0.036；趋势P<0.05)。

结论：更年期妇女较高的纤维蛋白原水平与较低的骨密度相关, 这与年龄、体重指数、雌二醇和其他因素无关。因此, 血清纤维蛋白原可作为绝经后妇女骨密度降低的一个新的预测指标。

Keywords:

• Fibrinogen
• bone mineral density
• inflammatory
• menopause

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all team members, and statistical consultant Weijun Zheng.

Potential conflict of interest

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest.

Source of funding

The study is supported by grants from Zhejiang Province Major Science and Technology Program of Medicine and Health [No. WKJ-ZJ-2010].