RISK FACTORS FOR VERTEBRAL FRACTURE AND BONE LOSS

Summary

Principal Investigator: Douglas Kiel
Affiliation: Harvard University
Country: USA
Abstract: The overall goal of this research is to examine in a population based cohort of men and women, the Framingham Study, the biologic and behavioral factors associated with age-related bone loss from different skeletal sites. The primary objectives are to measure vertebral fracture incidence and changes in metacarpal cortical width in men and women between the year of 1967-1968, when spinal and hand radiographs were first obtained on cohort participants, and 1992-1993, when films will be repeated as part of this study. The second objective is to determine risk factors (measured near the time of the initial X-rays) for these vertebral fractures and these changes in metacarpal cortical width. Risk factors will include weight, age of menopause, estrogen use, physical activity (leisure and occupational), caffeine, smoking, and alcohol. In addition, the association between vertebral fractures/metacarpal cortical width on baseline X-rays and later hip fracture will be examined. The third objective is to measure shorter term changes in bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip and radius (assessed by single photon absorptiometry and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) among very old men and women by comparing BMD obtained in 1,154 cohort members (1987-1989) with repeat BMD to be obtained as part of this study. Risk factors for this change in BMD will include weight, physical activity (leisure), caffeine, smoking, alcohol, thiazide diuretics, testosterone levels, dietary calcium, 25 hydroxy-vitamin D levels and thyroid hormone replacement and hormone levels. The subjects for this proposal will include all participants in examination 22 (1992-1993) of the Framingham Study. At the time of their usual visit to the Framingham Study, all consenting subjects will undergo a lateral spine X-ray, an X-ray of both hands, and bone densitometry of the hip and spine (using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry-SPA) and radius (using single photon absorptiometry-SPA). The proposal will utilize existing data collected for the Framingham Study regarding risk factors for osteoporosis, and will capitalize on X-rays of the spine and hands previously done on the cohort between 1967-1968, and absorptiometric measurements first performed on the cohort between 1988 and 1989. Critical measurement issues will be carefully addressed by the combined expertise of the investigative team which includes epidemiologists, experts in bone densitometry, and a skeletal radiologist.
Funding Period: 1991-09-30 - 1996-08-31
more information: NIH RePORT

Top Publications

  1. ncbi Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study
    Katherine L Tucker
    Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA
    J Bone Miner Res 20:152-8. 2005
  2. ncbi Effects of beer, wine, and liquor intakes on bone mineral density in older men and women
    Katherine L Tucker
    Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    Am J Clin Nutr 89:1188-96. 2009
  3. ncbi Bivariate genome-wide linkage analysis of femoral bone traits and leg lean mass: Framingham study
    David Karasik
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    J Bone Miner Res 24:710-8. 2009
  4. ncbi High vitamin C intake is associated with lower 4-year bone loss in elderly men
    Shivani Sahni
    Dietary Assessment and Epidemiology Research Program, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    J Nutr 138:1931-8. 2008
  5. ncbi Thyroid function and the risk of Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Study
    Zaldy S Tan
    Department of Medicine, Gerontology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, LMOB 1A, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    Arch Intern Med 168:1514-20. 2008
  6. ncbi Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and bone density/ultrasound and geometry in humans
    K Cho
    Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
    Bone 42:53-60. 2008
  7. ncbi Genome-wide association with bone mass and geometry in the Framingham Heart Study
    Douglas P Kiel
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
    BMC Med Genet 8:S14. 2007
  8. ncbi Meniscal damage associated with increased local subchondral bone mineral density: a Framingham study
    G H Lo
    Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    Osteoarthritis Cartilage 16:261-7. 2008
  9. ncbi Bivariate linkage study of proximal hip geometry and body size indices: the Framingham study
    D Karasik
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131, USA
    Calcif Tissue Int 81:162-73. 2007
  10. ncbi Hip structural geometry in old and old-old age: similarities and differences between men and women
    Laurel B Yates
    Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women s Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA
    Bone 41:722-32. 2007

Scientific Experts

Detail Information

Publications16

  1. ncbi Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study
    Katherine L Tucker
    Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA
    J Bone Miner Res 20:152-8. 2005
    ..Men with plasma B12 < 148 pM had significantly lower BMD at the hip, and women at the spine, relative to those with higher B12, and trends were similar for both at all sites. Low vitamin B12 may be a risk factor for low BMD...
  2. ncbi Effects of beer, wine, and liquor intakes on bone mineral density in older men and women
    Katherine L Tucker
    Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    Am J Clin Nutr 89:1188-96. 2009
    ..Moderate intake of alcohol has been reported to have beneficial effects on bone. However, different classes of alcoholic beverages have not been investigated...
  3. ncbi Bivariate genome-wide linkage analysis of femoral bone traits and leg lean mass: Framingham study
    David Karasik
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    J Bone Miner Res 24:710-8. 2009
    ..Identification and subsequent characterization of these shared loci may further elucidate the genetic contributions to both osteoporosis and sarcopenia...
  4. ncbi High vitamin C intake is associated with lower 4-year bone loss in elderly men
    Shivani Sahni
    Dietary Assessment and Epidemiology Research Program, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    J Nutr 138:1931-8. 2008
    ..Null associations were observed among women. These results suggest a possible protective role of vitamin C for bone health in older men...
  5. ncbi Thyroid function and the risk of Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Study
    Zaldy S Tan
    Department of Medicine, Gerontology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, LMOB 1A, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    Arch Intern Med 168:1514-20. 2008
    ..Clinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are recognized causes of reversible dementia, but previous studies relating thyrotropin levels to cognitive performance in clinically euthyroid persons have yielded inconsistent results...
  6. ncbi Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and bone density/ultrasound and geometry in humans
    K Cho
    Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
    Bone 42:53-60. 2008
    ..Thus, NOS3 genetic variation does not appear to be a major contributor to adult bone density/ultrasound and geometry in our sample...
  7. ncbi Genome-wide association with bone mass and geometry in the Framingham Heart Study
    Douglas P Kiel
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
    BMC Med Genet 8:S14. 2007
    ..There have been no genome-wide association and linkage studies for these traits using high-density genotyping platforms...
  8. ncbi Meniscal damage associated with increased local subchondral bone mineral density: a Framingham study
    G H Lo
    Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    Osteoarthritis Cartilage 16:261-7. 2008
    ..We hypothesized that knees with higher M:L BMD, consistent with increased medial subchondral BMD, would be associated with medial meniscal damage, and lower ratios with lateral meniscal damage...
  9. ncbi Bivariate linkage study of proximal hip geometry and body size indices: the Framingham study
    D Karasik
    Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131, USA
    Calcif Tissue Int 81:162-73. 2007
    ....
  10. ncbi Hip structural geometry in old and old-old age: similarities and differences between men and women
    Laurel B Yates
    Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women s Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA
    Bone 41:722-32. 2007
    ....
  11. ncbi Genetic variation at the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) locus modulates Wnt signaling and the relationship of physical activity with bone mineral density in men
    Douglas P Kiel
    Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02131, USA
    Bone 40:587-96. 2007
    ..These observations suggest that Wnt-LRP5 may play a role in the adaptation of bone to mechanical load in humans, and may explain some gender-related differences in bone mass...
  12. ncbi Abdominal aortic calcification and exostoses at the hand and lumbar spine: the Framingham Study
    D Karasik
    Hebrew SeniorLife and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
    Calcif Tissue Int 78:1-8. 2006
    ..In conclusion, in this cross-sectional study, anterior lumbar osteophytes and AAC occurred in the same individuals after adjustment for age and other covariates. In general, hand exostoses were not associated with aortic calcification...
  13. ncbi Metabolic syndrome as a precursor of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus
    Peter W F Wilson
    The NHLBI s Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
    Circulation 112:3066-72. 2005
    ..The objective was to investigate risk for CVD, CHD, and T2DM according to metabolic syndrome traits...
  14. ncbi Vertebral deformity, back symptoms, and functional limitations among older women: the Framingham Study
    Susan L Edmond
    University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, SHRP PT, 65 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07101 1709, USA
    Osteoporos Int 16:1086-95. 2005
    ..Efforts to prevent and treat back pain, independent of vertebral deformity status, might help to reduce functional limitations in older women...
  15. ncbi Bone mineral density and the risk of Alzheimer disease
    Zaldy Sy Tan
    Division on Aging, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    Arch Neurol 62:107-11. 2005
    ..Bone mineral density (BMD) is a potential surrogate marker for cumulative estrogen exposure and has been associated with cognitive performance and risk of cognitive deterioration...
  16. ncbi 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services
    J S Buell
    Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    Neurology 74:18-26. 2010
    ..However, no studies have examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD)...