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(Stroke. 2001;32:2956.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Bone Mineral Density and Stroke Risk

Michael E. Mussolino, MA; Richard F. Gillum, MD Jennifer H. Madans, PhD

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland

To the Editor:

In their recent article, Jorgensen et al¹ examined the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and stroke. They reported that female, but not male, stroke patients had lower BMD than population controls. Like the few other previous reports, it was based on fewer than 85 total cases. We attempted to replicate their findings by analyzing data from a population-based study. We looked at stroke prevalence and BMD, using data from the cross-sectional Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).² NHANES III collected data from a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized US population from 1988 to 1994. Analyses were limited to 6298 non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican-American men and women whose BMD levels were measured and who were aged 45 years and older at the time of the NHANES III examination, because relatively few strokes occur at younger ages. BMD was measured by trained examiners in mobile examination centers. Total proximal femoral BMD was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR-1000; Hologic, Inc).³ Stroke prevalence was based on self-reported doctors’ diagnoses. A total of 323 stroke cases were identified. Baseline age, race-ethnicity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and physical activity level were obtained by interview, and body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight. History of heart attack, congestive heart failure, and diabetes were based on self-reported doctors’ diagnoses. Hypertension was determined from blood pressure measurement at examination (systolic 140 or diastolic 90) or history of recent blood pressure medication.

No statistically significant differences in . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Lone Jørgensen, MSc; Torgeir Engstad, MD Bjarne K. Jacobsen, PhD

Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. E. Mussolino, J. H. Madans, and R.F. Gillum Bone Mineral Density and Stroke Stroke, May 1, 2003; 34 (5): e20 - e22. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]