Pharmacological Treatment of Osteoporosis in Elderly People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The evidence supporting the use of antiresorptive and anabolic agents for fracture prevention in elderly patients is still inconclusive. Whether it is too late to alter the course of the disease in this age-group has remained uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of antiresorptive and anabolic agents in elderly patients. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and post hoc analyses of RCTs reporting efficacy outcomes or adverse events of antiresorptive and anabolic agents in elderly patients. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q χ2 test and I2 statistic. All results were expressed as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 1 RCT and 11 post hoc analyses of data from 10 double-blind placebo-controlled RCTs. Antiresorptive therapy significantly reduced the pooled incidence of vertebral fractures (RR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.35-0.53; and p < 0.001). It was also associated with lower risk of nonvertebral and hip fractures (RR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.74-0.96; and p = 0.009 and RR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.58-0.97; and p = 0.028, respectively). For any adverse events, no difference was observed between antiresorptive agents and placebo groups (RR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.00-1.02; and p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Both antiresorptive and anabolic agents represented potentially important osteoporosis treatments, showing significant effects on reducing vertebral, nonvertebral, or hip fracture risk, and were well-tolerated by elderly patients. Even in the elderly, maybe it is not too late to alter the course of the disease.

The Value of Historical Height Loss for Detecting Vertebral Fractures in Postmenopausal Women in China.

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures are challenging in rural and underdeveloped areas of China because medical resources are inaccessible; thus, a simple and accurate method is essential for the detection of vertebral fractures. We aimed to examine the relationship between historical height loss (HHL) and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal Chinese women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 255 postmenopausal women aged 50 years or older was conducted in September 2017. Demographic data, including self-reported tallest historical height and current height were analyzed. Vertebral fractures were assessed using X-ray radiography and HHL thresholds were examined using specificity and sensitivity testing. RESULTS: The average age of the 255 participants was 66.3 ± 9.0 years and their mean HHL was 3.5 ± 2.8 cm. The 24 women who were found to have vertebral fractures were older, had more years since menopause (YSM), and a larger HHL compared to those without vertebral fractures. Logistic regression analysis showed that age was a better predictor of vertebral fractures than HHL was, and the cutoff age for detecting vertebral fractures was 71 years, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.750. CONCLUSIONS: Although the women in this study with vertebral fractures had a greater height loss than those without fractures, it was apparent that age, rather than HHL, is the best way to determine who is most likely to develop vertebral fractures.

Clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of Paget's disease of bone in mainland China: A systematic review.

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a metabolic bone disease with distinct geographical and ethnic differences in its pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical features and the status of diagnosis and treatment of PDB in mainland China to improve the clinician's understanding of this disease. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of 118 articles, including a total of 332 patients with PDB. The results showed that the onset age of PDB in mainland China was 46-60 years. The number of male patients in most age groups was slightly higher than that of female patients, but there was no statistical difference (p > 0.05). The gender ratio (male to female) of PDB in mainland China was significantly different from that in Japan (p < 0.05), but not from that in the USA (p > 0.05). The clinical manifestations of PDB patients in mainland China mainly included ostealgia, bone malformation, hearing loss, and fracture, and bisphosphonate was used as the main treatment drug. These findings were similar to those in Japan, UK, and USA. Total alkaline phosphatase (TALP) level was elevated in about 89.7% of patients, and no correlation between TALP level and ostealgia was observed (p > 0.05). In addition, no difference in TALP level between males and females in each group was observed (p > 0.05).

Serum myostatin in central south Chinese postmenopausal women: Relationship with body composition, lipids and bone mineral density.

AIMS: Previous data suggest that myostatin has direct effects on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells. The relationships between serum myostatin, body composition lipids and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women remain unclear. The aim of this study is to elucidate the relationships between serum myostatin, body composition, lipids and bone mineral density in central south Chinese postmenopausal women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 175 healthy postmenopausal women, aged 51-75 years old. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition were measured by double energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum myostatin, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(25OH-D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) were measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In contrast to the osteoporotic women, the women without osteoporosis had higher BMI, fat mass and lean mass (P<0.01). The osteoporotic women were older than women without osteoporosis (P<0.01). There were no differences between two groups with regard to serum BAP, CTX, (25OH-D), PTH, lipids and myostatin after adjusted by age. BMD at each site was positively correlated with age at menopause, fat mass and lean mass, and also negatively correlated with age and serum BAP. Serum myostatin was positively correlated with tryglicerides, not correlated with either body composition or BMD at each site. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that serum myostatin concentration did not correlate with muscle and bone mass. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the role of myostatin in regulating the bone metabolism.

Vitamin D status and its relationship with body composition, bone mineral density and fracture risk in urban central south Chinese postmenopausal women.

AIMS: This study was designed to assess vitamin D (25(OH)D) status and its relationship with bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk, which was determined using the FRAX algorithm, among postmenopausal central south Chinese women, and to identify the risk factors for vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 578 healthy postmenopausal central south Chinese women. Fat mass and BMD at lumbar spine (L1-L4), femur neck and total hip were measured with dual X-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone and creatinine were measured. The 10-year probabilities of hip and major osteoporotic fracture were calculated by the FRAX model. RESULTS: Approximately 72.1% women were vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D <50 nmol/l). Serum 25(OH)D levels did not correlate with body mass index (BMI), fat mass and weight. They positively correlated with all BMDs (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with both 10-year fracture probabilities (p < 0.05). BMI ≤19 and age ≥65 years were risk factors for osteoporosis at all sites. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent among postmenopausal central south Chinese women. Serum 25(OH)D levels were correlated with all BMDs and negatively correlated with both 10-year fracture probabilities.

Serum sclerostin levels were positively correlated with fat mass and bone mineral density in central south Chinese postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between serum sclerostin level, body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) in central south Chinese postmenopausal women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 260 healthy central southern Chinese postmenopausal women with vs without osteoporosis, aged 50-76 years old. Dual X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the bone mineral content and BMD of the whole body, lumbar spine and left femur, and total body soft tissue composition. Serum sclerostin levels were measured by a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Compared with women without osteoporosis, osteoporotic women had a significantly lower level of serum sclerostin (P = 0.001). Serum sclerostin levels were positively correlated with body weight, Ponderal index and fat mass. There was a positive correlation with the BMD of both the whole body and at various sites (P < 0.05), even after controlling for age, age at menopause, height and body weight. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that serum sclerostin level was the most significant determinant of both whole-body and lumbar spine BMD, compared with age, age at menopause, fat mass and lean mass. Age had similar impact as serum sclerostin on hip BMD. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that in central south Chinese postmenopausal women, serum sclerostin is lower in women with osteoporosis than without. Serum sclerostin is positively correlated with fat mass and BMD for the whole body, lumbar spine and hip.

Triglyceride Glucose-Body Mass Index Is a Reliable Indicator of Bone Mineral Density and Risk of Osteoporotic Fracture in Middle-Aged and Elderly Nondiabetic Chinese Individuals.

(1) Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of triglyceride glucose−body mass index (TyG-BMI) with bone mineral density (BMD), femoral neck geometry, and risk of fracture in middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals. (2) Methods: A total of 832 nondiabetic individuals were selected from the prospective population-based HOPE cohort. All individuals underwent DXA for assessment of BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip, as well as femoral neck geometry. The 10-year probabilities of both major osteoporotic (MOFs) and hip fractures (HFs) were calculated. (3) Results: Cortical thickness, compression strength index, cross-sectional moment of inertia, cross-sectional area, section modulus, and 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in women (all p < 0.001). The presence of osteoporosis was related to age, BMI, BMD and femoral neck geometry, TyG-BMI, MOF, and HF. TyG-BMI was positively correlated with BMD. In men, TyG-BMI showed significant negative correlation with HF but not with MOF, the correlation exists only after adjusting for other variables in women. Femoral neck geometries were significantly impaired in individuals with low TyG-BMI. (4) Conclusion: TyG-BMI is positively associated with BMD and geometry, and negatively associated with risk of fracture in nondiabetic middle-aged and elderly Chinese men and women.

Relationship of body composition with prevalence of osteoporosis in central south Chinese postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the relationship between body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) and the prevalence of osteoporosis in central south Chinese postmenopausal women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 954 healthy central southern Chinese postmenopausal women, aged 50-82. Total body, lumbar spine and left femur BMD and total body soft tissue composition were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Among the study population, 578 (60.5%) subjects were without osteoporosis and 376 (39.4%) subjects were osteoporotic. The osteoporotic women were older, shorter and thinner, had an earlier age at menopause, a lower BMD and bone mineral content (BMC) of the total body and at different sites, and had lower body mass and body mass components than the women without osteoporosis. Both fat mass and lean mass were positively correlated with age at menopause, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and BMD at all sites. Fat mass and lean mass were also inversely correlated with age and years since menopause (P<0.05). After controlling for age, age at menopause and height, both fat mass and lean mass were positively correlated with BMD at the lumbar(1-4) spine, the femoral neck and the total hip. Fat mass was the most significant determinant of BMD at the lumbar(1-4) spine with a higher R(2) change and a partial R(2) compared with that of lean mass, while lean mass had more impact on the total hip values. Either a fat mass below 18.4 kg or a lean mass below 33.9 kg was correlated with a higher prevalence of osteoporosis at the lumbar spine or total hip. CONCLUSIONS: In central south Chinese postmenopausal women, both fat mass and lean mass are correlated with BMD at the lumbar spine and hip. Fat mass was the most significant determinant of BMD at the lumbar spine, while lean mass had more impact on the total hip value. Both lower values of fat mass and lean mass are related to a higher prevalence of osteoporosis at either the lumbar spine or the total hip. Thus, it is important to maintain a reasonable body weight to balance bone health and other metabolic disorders.

Comparison of the NOF and NOGG guidelines for spinal radiographic examination in postmenopausal Chinese women.

The aim was to compare the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) guidelines for the detection of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal Chinese women. The NOF guidelines had higher accuracy than the UK guidelines for spinal radiography examination. PURPOSE: To compare the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) guidelines for the detection of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal Chinese women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study on 255 community-dwelling postmenopausal women was conducted in Hunan province in 2017. Demographic and clinical characteristics and risk factors were recorded through questionnaires. Height and weight were measured using standard methods, and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Vertebral fractures were diagnosed by radiography using semi-quantitative morphometry. RESULTS: The prevalence of vertebral fractures was 9.4%. Women with vertebral fractures were significantly older and shorter, had higher years-since menopause and height loss values and lower BMD and T-scores at the femoral neck and total hip, and were more likely to have a history of previous fractures. The sensitivity and specificity of the NOF guidelines were 91.7% and 39.8%, respectively, while the NOGG guidelines had lower sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (32.5%). However, a higher percentage had indications for radiography in the 50-64 years age group according to the NOGG guidelines, while a higher percentage had indications for radiography in the ≥ 65 year group according to the NOF guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The NOF guidelines were better than the NOGG guidelines for spinal radiography examination in the Chinese postmenopausal women.

Association between Serum Magnesium and Hemoglobin in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: There is a positive association between serum magnesium and hemoglobin levels in the general population. However, no studies have evaluated the association between serum magnesium and hemoglobin levels in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between serum magnesium and hemoglobin levels in the patient population with PHPT. METHODS: This retrospective study included 307 hospitalized PHPT patients who were continuously admitted to the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, from January 2010 to August 2020. Laboratory and demographic data of patients were collected. Hypomagnesemia was defined as serum magnesium <0.75 mmol/L. Patients with a hemoglobin level below 130 g/L in males and below 120 g/L in females were accepted as the anemic group. RESULTS: Among the 307 patients with PHPT included in our study, 77 (25.1%) patients (33 (32.4%) males and 44 (21.5%) females) had hypomagnesemia. A total of 138 (45.0%) patients (49 males (48.0%) and 89 females (43.4%)) had anemia. Compared with the nonanemic group, the anemic group had lower average albumin, eGFR, and serum magnesium levels in both males and females. In contrast, average creatinine, PTH, and corrected calcium were significantly higher in the anemic group than in the nonanemic group in both males and females. Lower serum magnesium levels were associated with lower hemoglobin levels independent of serum calcium, albumin, eGFR, and PTH in PHPT patients. CONCLUSIONS: Hypomagnesemia is a common electrolyte disorder in PHPT patients. Hypomagnesemia is independently associated with lower hemoglobin levels in patients with PHPT.

Comparison of strategies for setting intervention thresholds for Chinese postmenopausal women using the FRAX model.

PURPOSE: The two main strategies for managing osteoporosis using the Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX®) are the fixed-probability threshold of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the age-dependent-probability threshold of the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG), but there are no FRAX® Chinese-specific thresholds. This study examined the NOF and NOGG strategies for intervention thresholds using the Chinese FRAX® model for their appropriateness for Chinese postmenopausal women, and explored Chinese-specific thresholds. METHODS: Postmenopausal women (N = 264) >50 years old from community-medical centers in China were randomly selected. They completed a self-report questionnaire and underwent bone mineral density measurements and spinal X-rays. The 10-year risks for a major osteoporosis fracture and hip fracture were calculated using the Chinese FRAX® model. Using an osteoporosis diagnosis as the gold standard, we compared the abilities of the NOF and NOGG thresholds to detect osteoporosis by analyzing their sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative likelihood ratios. RESULTS: The 10-year risks for hip fracture and a major osteoporotic fracture increased with age. The NOF's accuracy in detecting osteoporosis was 83.33% and the NOGG's was 74.24%. The NOF thresholds showed higher accuracy and specificity than the NOGG thresholds. CONCLUSION: NOF thresholds are more appropriate for Chinese menopausal women.

How to decide intervention thresholds based on FRAX in central south Chinese postmenopausal women.

The FRAX tool has been used to determine possible thresholds for therapeutic intervention; however, there are no FRAX-based intervention thresholds available for China, we proposed that the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture and hip fracture of about 4.0 and 1.3%, respectively, may be acceptable intervention thresholds for central south Chinese postmenopausal women.