by Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease tend to co-occur in older adults. A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research measured vascular dysfunction in relation to bone loss and deterioration in bone microarchitecture to investigate whether this is due to shared risk factors or if there is a causal pathway by which vascular dysfunction with aging leads to skeletal fragility.

Researchers used data collected from 1,391 participants in the Framingham Heart Study to evaluate the link between blood vessel function and bone health. They used special tools to assess bone density and microstructure by measuring blood flow and pressure and advanced imaging called high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT).

Titled "Vascular function and skeletal fragility: A study of tonometry, brachial hemodynamics, and bone microarchitecture," the study found that while people with impaired blood vessel function tend to have lower bone density and worse deterioration in bone micro-structure, the association did not remain after statistically controlling for age, sex, and other confounders.

Although cardiovascular disease frequently co-occurs with osteoporosis, Ilana Usiskin, MD, lead author and clinical fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital, explained that "the results indicate that vascular function may not independently predict skeletal fragility independently of shared risk factors."

Elizabeth (Lisa) Samelson, Ph.D., principal investigator, associate scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, added, "Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are highly prevalent conditions in older adults and responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

"Our goal was to better understand whether or not vascular dysfunction plays a role in the development of osteoporosis, as early recognition of risk factors can lead to intervention and fracture prevention."

The Framingham Heart Study, Boston University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Marcus Institute at Hebrew SeniorLife collaborated on this study.

More information: Ilana M Usiskin et al, Vascular function and skeletal fragility: a study of tonometry, brachial hemodynamics, and bone microarchitecture, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (2024). DOI: 10.1093/jbmr/zjae071

Journal information: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 

Provided by Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research