BONE MINERAL DENSITY IS RELATED TO BLOOD PRESSURE IN MEN

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between bone mineral density (BMD) and blood pressure in 214 men, age 20–76. BMD measurements were done by dual X-ray absorptiometry using a Lunar DPXMD densitometer at the lumbar spine (L2–L4) and different femoral regions. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were measured using an MPC-350 sphygmomanometer. Physicians gathered demographic data and participants' dietary intake of calcium were determined by using food frequency questionnaires. After adjusting for age, body mass index, dietary calcium, and exercise history, multiple linear regression models showed that DBP was negatively related to femoral neck BMD (β = −0.145, P = 0.032) and just shy of significant association with femoral neck BMC (β = −0.114, P = 0.079). SBP was correlated with femoral neck (r = −0.171, P = 0.012) and Ward's (r = −0.186, P = 0.006) BMD but not after adjusting for possible confounders. Further studies are needed to determine whether elevated blood pressure is causally related to the development of low bone mass. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 16:168–171, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.