High serum adiponectin predicts incident fractures in elderly men: Osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) Sweden.

Adipocytes and osteoblasts share a common progenitor, and there is, therefore, potential for both autocrine and endocrine effects of adiponectin on skeletal metabolism. The aim of the present study was to determine whether high serum adiponectin was associated with an increased risk of fracture in elderly men. We studied the relationship between serum adiponectin and the risk of fracture in 999 elderly men drawn from the general population and recruited to the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study in Gothenburg, Sweden. Baseline data included general health questionnaires, lifestyle questionnaires, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), serum adiponectin, osteocalcin, and leptin. Men were followed for up to 7.4 years (average, 5.2 years). Poisson regression was used to investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin, other risk variables and the time-to-event hazard function of fracture. Median levels of serum adiponectin at baseline were 10.4 µg/mL (interquartile range, 7.7-14.3). During follow-up, 150 men sustained one or more fractures. The risk of fracture increased in parallel with increasing serum adiponectin (hazard ratio [HR]/SD, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.72) and persisted after multivariate-adjusted analysis (HR/SD, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.09-1.55). Serum adiponectin shows graded stepwise association with a significant excess risk of fracture in elderly men that was independent of several other risk factors for fracture. Its measurement holds promise as a risk factor for fracture in men.

Smoking predicts incident fractures in elderly men: Mr OS Sweden.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between smoking and bone mineral density (BMD) and radiographically verified prevalent vertebral fractures and incident fractures in elderly men. At baseline 3003 men aged 69 to 80 years of age from the Swedish Mr Os Study completed a standard questionnaire concerning smoking habits and had BMD of the hip and spine measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); 1412 men had an X-ray of the thoracic- and lumbar spine. Radiologic registers were used to confirm reported new fractures after the baseline visit. At baseline, 8.4% were current smokers. Current smokers had a 6.2% lower BMD at the total hip and a 5.4% lower BMD at the lumbar spine (p < .001). Current smoking remained independently inversely associated with BMD at the hip and lumbar spine after adjusting for age, height, weight, calcium intake, physical activity, and centers as covariates. Prevalent vertebral fractures among current smokers were increased in unadjusted analyses [odds ratio (OR) = 1.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-2.87] and after adjustment for lumbar BMD (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.09-2.55). Smokers had a high risk for two or more prevalent vertebral fractures (OR = 3.18, 95% CI 1.88-5.36). During the average follow-up of 3.3 years, 209 men sustained an X-ray-verified fracture. Incident fracture risk among smokers was calculated with Cox proportional hazard models. Current smokers had an increased risk of all new fractures [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.76, 95% CI 1.19-2.61]; nonvertebral osteoporotic fractures, defined as humerus, radius, pelvis, and hip fractures (HR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.18-3.88); clinical and X-ray-verified vertebral fractures (HR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.37-4.65); and hip fractures (HR = 3.16, 95% CI 1.44-6.95). After adjustment for BMD, including other covariates, no significant association between smoking and incident fractures was found. Current tobacco smoking in elderly men is associated with low BMD, prevalent vertebral fractures, and incident fractures, especially vertebral and hip fractures.

Low serum testosterone and high serum estradiol associate with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease in elderly men. The MrOS Study in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether serum levels of testosterone and estradiol associate with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in a large population-based cohort of elderly men. BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the relationship between serum sex steroids and lower extremity PAD in men. METHODS: The Swedish arm of the MrOS (Osteoporotic Fractures in Men) study (n = 3,014; average age 75.4 years) assessed ankle-brachial index (ABI) and defined lower extremity PAD as ABI <0.90. Radioimmunoassay measured serum levels of total testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin, and we calculated free testosterone and free estradiol levels from the mass action equations. RESULTS: A linear regression model including age, current smoking, previous smoking, diabetes, hypertension, body mass index, free testosterone, and free estradiol showed that free testosterone independently and positively associates with ABI (p < 0.001), whereas free estradiol independently and negatively associates with ABI (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that free testosterone in the lowest quartile (vs. quartiles 2 to 4; odds ratio [OR] 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22 to 2.23, p = 0.001) and free estradiol in the highest quartile (vs. quartiles 1 to 3; OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.94, p = 0.012) independently associate with lower extremity PAD. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study shows for the first time that low serum testosterone and high serum estradiol levels associate with lower extremity PAD in elderly men. Future prospective and interventional studies are needed to establish possible causal relationships between sex steroids and the development of lower extremity PAD in men.

[Screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Women with distal radius fractures should be evaluated for bone density]. / Utredning av postmenopausal osteoporos. Kvinnor med distal radiusfraktur bör bentäthetsmätas.

In a case-control study at two country hospitals in Sweden, 110 consecutive postmenopausal women (age 50-75) with distal radius fracture were examined with the DXA-technique, on the injured radius, lumbar spine, and the right hip within three weeks after the fracture occurrence. Data was compared with 55 age-matched controls from The Swedish Population Register. The incidence of osteoporosis according to WHO's definition (T-score < -2.5) at any measurement site was higher in the fracture group, 44 per cent compared with 27 per cent in the control group. The fracture group had 12 per cent lower bone mineral density in the distal radius compared with the control group. A higher rate of previous fractures was noted in the fracture group compared with the control group. The study reflects the situation in general health care, where osteoporosis is common in postmenopausal women with distal radius fracture. This patient group can easily be identified and is suitable to be diagnosed for osteoporosis using bone density measurement prior to a decision being reached with regard to any treatment. According to the guideline for medical treatment (T-score < -2.0 and fragile-fracture) as outlined by the Swedish Osteoporosis Society, 75 per cent of postmenopausal patients with forearm fracture should be considered for such treatment.