RESUMEN
AIM: To examine the relation between coronary atherosclerosis (CA), coronary artery calcification (CAC), and bone mineral density (BMD) in men with coronary artery disease (CAD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The investigation included 74 males aged 60.1 (range, 55-70) years with verified CAD. All the patients underwent X-ray contrast-enhanced selective coronary angiography and coronary artery calcium score (CS) and BMD measurements by osteodensitometry. The severity of a coronary artery lesion was evaluated using the SYNTAX score. According to the T score, the patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) 23 patients with osteoporosis (OP), 2) 30 patients with osteopenia, and 3) 21 patients with normal BMD. RESULTS: Osteopenic syndrome (OS) (OP and osteopenia) was found in 71.6% of the patients with angiographically confirmed CAD. Single-vessel lesion in the coronary bed (CB) was more frequently recorded in the normal BMD group than in the OP one (p = 0.023). Severe CB lesion was more common for the patients with OP (p = 0.029). There were statistically significant differences between the osteopenia and normal BMD groups in the severe degree of CB lesion (p = 0.042). Differences were noted in total CS between Groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.0122). CS significantly correlated with the severity of CA lesion according to the SYNTAX score (r = 0.53; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Severe CB lesion in males correlates with CAC and is associated with decreased BMD, suggesting the commonness of the pathogenetic components of AS and OS.