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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Western Human Nutrition Research Center » Obesity and Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #213085
Title: Relationship of Circulating Total Homocysteine and C-Reactive Protein to Trabecular Bone in Postmenopausal Women

Author
item BHUPATHIRAJU, SHILPA - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item ALEKEL, D - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item STEWART, JEANNE - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item HANSON, LAURA - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item SHEDD, KRISTINE - UC DAVIS
item REDDY, MANJU - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item HANSON, KATHY - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item Van Loan, Marta
item GENSCHEL, ULRIKE - IOWA STATE UNIV.
item KOEHLER, KENNETH - IOWA STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Journal of Clinical Densitometry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/30/2007
Publication Date: 6/12/2007
Citation: Bhupathiraju, S.N., Alekel, D.L., Stewart, J.W., Hanson, L.N., Shedd, K.M., Reddy, M.B., Hanson, K.B., Van Loan, M.D., Genschel, U., Koehler, K.J. 2007. Relationship of Circulating Total Homocysteine and C-Reactive Protein to Trabecular Bone in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of Clinical Densitometry. Vol. 10, No. 4, 395-403.

Interpretive Summary: It is accepted that diet and physical activity are important to bone health. However, more importance is being given to the relationship of inflammation and bone health. Markers of inflammation include chronic and acute responses. C-reactive protein is an acute phase marker of inflammation. Homocysteine has been shown to be involved in cardiovascular disease progress, but it’s involvement in osteoporosis has not extensively studied. We examined the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) to areal bone density (aBMD) and volumetric bone density (vBMD) in a group of healthy early postmenopausal women. Statistical analysis revealed that HCY accounted for only a small (1.5%) non-significant difference in bone density. Women who participated in this project were not osteoporotic and perhaps this explains why a more pronounced association of Hcy and bone density was not observed. Similarly, the women were healthy and therefore, did not have elevated levels of CRP. Further research in women with osteoporosis may provide more definitive results regarding the role of CRP and Hcy in bone density.

Technical Abstract: Homocysteine (Hcy) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are novel risk factors for osteoporosis. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the relationship of Hcy and CRP to volumetric trabecular bone, but also to assess their relationship to areal composite bone in healthy postmenopausal women (N=184). We used peripheral quantitative computed tomography to assess volumetric bone at the distal tibia and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to assess areal composite bone at the proximal femur and lumbar spine. Multiple regression revealed that 22% of the variability in trabecular bone mineral content (F=9.59, p'0.0001) was accounted for by weight (12.4%; p'0.0001), hemoglobin (5.5%; p=0.0006), uric acid (4.2%; p=0.003), and blood glucose (1.5%; p=0.07). Multiple regression revealed that 5.4% of the variability in trabecular bone mineral density (F=3.36; p=0.020) was accounted for by hemoglobin (4.2%; p=0.006) and Hcy (1.5%; not significant, p=0.10). Total Hcy and CRP were not significantly related to trabecular bone, perhaps because these were non-osteoporotic women. However, our results suggested a weak but negative relationship between Hcy and trabecular bone. Further investigation is needed to examine the relationship of Hcy as an endogenous bioactive molecule to trabecular bone loss in early postmenopausal women and the response of trabecular bone to dietary intervention.