Low BMD raises all-cause and cardiovascular mortality

But not for stroke.
http://www.medwire-news.md/437/96851/Bone_Health/Low_BMD_raises_all-cause_and_cardiovascular_mortality.html
Low bone mineral density (BMD) is associated with a significantly increased risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, research shows.

Lower BMD does not appear to be associated with an increased risk for death from stroke, however.

These are the conclusions of Kerong Dai (Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China) and colleagues based on a meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 46,182 individuals.

Previous studies have established an increased risk for death in men and women following bone fracture, particularly hip fracture, they explain in the International Journal of Cardiology.

Although epidemiologic studies have suggested an inverse relationship between BMD and all-cause, cardiovascular and stroke mortality, it is not known whether these increased risks with low BMD are independent of established cardiovascular risk factors, they add.

Dai and colleagues explored the relationship between specific causes of death and BMD, noting there were 3991 deaths from all causes, 1479 cardiovascular deaths, and 403 deaths from stroke during a median of 7 years follow-up.

For each standard deviation (SD) decrease in BMD at all sites, there was a significant 17% increase in all-cause mortality and a significant 13% increase risk for death from cardiovascular causes.

Decreases in BMD measured at the total hip/femoral neck were also associated with a significant 20% increase in the risk for all-cause mortality, and a 20% increased risk for death from cardiovascular events.

Overall, however, decreases in BMD were not linked to death from stroke. (But what about just having a stroke?)

The study "supports the view that lower BMD is associated with higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality," write the researchers.

They conclude that cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are prevalent disorders, and research suggests they might share risk factors underlying their respective pathophysiologic mechanisms.