THE RELATIONSHIP OF BONE MINERAL DENSITY WITH CAROTID INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS AND HEMODYNAMICS

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis are the most important two causes of morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. In this study, we classified postmenopausal women, who are free of cardiovascular diseases, according to their bone mineral density. We aimed to evaluate the effect of bone mineral density on carotis intima media thickness and hemodinamia. Material and Method: Bone mineral density of the patients was defined by using World Health Organization's T score. A total of 120 patients were divided into 3 equal groups as patients with T scores greater than -1.0 (normal), patients with T scores between -1.0 and -2.5 (osteopenics), and patients with T scores lower than -2.5 (osteoporotics). Results: When the osteoporotic, osteopenic, and normal groups were compared, no significant difference was found in terms of peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities. According to groups mean age of patients are 53.18 +/- 0.612 in normal group 55.88 +/- 0.927 in osteopenic group and 60.68 +/- 1.155 in osteoporotic group. There is not significant statistical difference between normal group and osteopenic patients (p>0,05) Between OP and other groups there is significant statistical difference (p<0,05). A reverse-linear correlation was observed between age and lomber T score, and between lomber T score and intima media thickness. A linear correaltion was found between age and intima media thickness (r=0.41, p<0.001, R-2=0.166). Residual index values were siginificantly different between normal subjects and osteopenic patients (p<0.05) whereas no difference was found between other groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: In the present study, an increase in the lomber vertebrae bone mineral density was shown to be associated with an increase in carotid intima media thickness.