Clinical Investigations Coronary Calcification and Osteoporosis in Men and Postmenopausal Women Are Independent Processes Associated with Aging

Abstract. The objective of this study was to investigate whether low bone mass is directly associated with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in men and post-menopausal women self-referred for evaluation of cor-onary atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Low bone mass was evaluated by measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) using quantitative computerized tomography (QCT). Coronary atherosclerosis was evaluated by measurement of coronary calcium (CC) burden using electron beam computerized tomography (EBCT). Using a cross-sectional design, we tested the hypothesis that osteoporosis and coronary atherosclerosis are cor-related, age-dependent processes. Study variables were BMD, CC scores, and other known risk factors for osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. Qualifying for th