Calcium2026

Evaluation of inflammatory and cardiovascular-related indices as potential markers for postmenopausal osteoporosis-a retrospective study.

Tigli Alihan, Baykus Yakup, Sener Nazli, De Girmenci Yasemin Ercan et al. — PeerJ

Summary

This study investigated whether certain blood markers, often linked to inflammation and heart disease, could help identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Researchers found that while one marker showed a statistical difference, none of the tested markers were strong enough to reliably diagnose osteoporosis on their own. This suggests that current diagnostic methods, such as bone density scans, remain essential for assessing bone health.

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Key points

The study investigated if common blood markers could help diagnose osteoporosis in women after menopause.
Markers related to inflammation and heart disease risk were examined for their ability to predict bone density issues.
Researchers found that these blood markers were not reliable enough to be used as standalone screening tools for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Current methods for diagnosing osteoporosis, like bone density scans, remain the most effective.

What the study looked at

This study aimed to determine if certain blood markers, commonly associated with inflammation and heart disease risk, could effectively identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Researchers were looking for simple blood tests that might serve as early indicators or diagnostic tools for bone thinning. The research involved a retrospective analysis of data from 387 postmenopausal women who had undergone bone density scans between 2021 and 2025. The scientists collected information on their age, duration since menopause, body mass index, and various blood test results. From these blood tests, they calculated several inflammatory and cardiovascular-related indices. The study observed that women with osteoporosis were typically older and had been through menopause longer. While one specific marker, the monocyte/HDL-C ratio, showed a statistically significant difference in the osteoporosis group, its ability to accurately distinguish between women with and without osteoporosis was very limited. All other markers tested were not found to be useful for diagnosis. Therefore, the study concluded that these particular blood markers are not suitable as standalone screening tools for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Dietary takeaway

While this study didn't focus on diet, maintaining adequate calcium intake through foods like dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods is crucial for bone health, especially after menopause. Since these blood markers aren't reliable for diagnosis, regular discussions with your doctor about bone health, including diet and lifestyle, and considering bone density screenings, remain important. Remember, one study provides valuable insights but isn't the final word on complex health issues.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests a strong pathophysiological link between osteoporosis (OP), characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), and cardiovascular disease. Biomarkers such as the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, while primarily linked to cardiovascular risk, may also reflect the metabolic dysregulation seen in OP. Similarly, inflammatory markers including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and neutrophil-monocyte ratio (NMR), along with ratios like lymphocyte/HDL-C, monocyte/HDL-C, and granulocyte/HDL-C have been suggested as potential diagnostic tools. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic discrimination of these accessible biomarkers for postmenopausal OP. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 387 postmenopausal women who underwent bone densitometry between 2021 and 2025. Data on body mass index (BMI), T-scores, age, menopause duration, and relevant laboratory parameters were collected. Inflammatory and biochemical indices were calculated using established formulas. RESULTS: Age and menopause duration were significantly higher in the OP group compared to the normal and osteopenia groups ( < 0.01). Conversely, the median femoral neck T-score (FN-T) was significantly lower in the OP group. Among the biomarkers, only the monocyte/HDL-C ratio was significantly lower in the OP group ( < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated poor diagnostic discrimination for the monocyte/HDL-C ratio (AUC: 0.608), while all other biomarkers were non-significant (AUC < 0.6). CONCLUSION: Even the statistically significant monocyte/HDL-C ratio failed to achieve clinically acceptable discriminatory ability. Consequently, these biomarkers cannot be recommended as standalone screening tools for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.7717/peerj.21311