Correlates of trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density at the femoral neck and lumbar spine: The osteoporotic fractures in men study (MrOS)

The objective of this cross-sectional analysis was to examine the correlates of trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) in 3670 community-dwelling men, mean age 73.6 ± 5.9 years. vBMD was measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and areal BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Demographic, historical, and lifestyle information was obtained by interview, and height, weight, and neuromuscular function were determined by examination. To express the strength of the associations, percent differences (95% confidence interval) were calculated from multivariable linear regression models using the formula 100 (b x unit/mean BMD). Units for continuous variables were chosen to approximate 1 standard deviation (SD). The multivariable linear regression models predicted 15%, 21%, and 20% of the overall variance in trabecular and cortical vBMD of the femoral neck and vBMD of the lumbar spine, respectively. Diabetes was associated with a 16.5% greater trabecular vBMD at the femoral neck and 11% at the lumbar spine but less than 2% for cortical vBMD. For femoral neck trabecular vBMD, the strongest negative correlates were past smoking (-9%), fracture history (-15%), kidney stones (-7%), corticosteroids (-11%), and insulin therapy (-26%). For cortical vBMD, the strongest negative correlate was use of thyroid medication (-2.8%). The strongest negative correlates for lumbar spine trabecular vBMD were fracture history (-5%), antiandrogen use (-19%), height (-8%), and thiazoliainedione use (-22%). Bioavailable estradiol and testosterone levels were positively related and sex hormone-binding globulin was negatively related to trabecular vBMD of the spine. There was no relationship between sex hormones and femoral neck trabecular vBMD. Our conclusion is that correlates of trabecular vBMD and cortical vBMD appear to differ in older men. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research