In recent decades, several studies have looked for possible links between osteoporosis and dementia . Now, a team of researchers from the Epidemiology Group at IQVIA , a health data science company based in Frankfurt, Germany, set out to explore the relationship between these seemingly disparate conditions.
They used data from the Disease Analyzer database, which compiles information on diagnoses, prescriptions, and demographic information taken from the computer systems used by physicians. Their findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The study included almost 60,000 participants: 29,983 individuals with osteoporosis and the same number of control subjects, without osteoporosis.
The participants were matched for a number of variables, including age, gender, other medical conditions, and the medications they were taking. Follow-up of the volunteers lasted for 20 years.
“There is great interest in the relationship between osteoporosis and dementia. This study is the first to address this question in a large database that allows comparison of cases and controls between patients with and without osteoporosis, ” explains Karel Kostev, job leader.
At the end of the study, 20.5% of the women with osteoporosis and 16.4% of the control subjects had been diagnosed with dementia. In men, dementia was diagnosed in 22% of people with osteoporosis and in 14.9% of men without osteoporosis. That equates to a 1.2-fold increase in risk of dementia for women and a 1.3-fold increase for men.
Why is the risk of dementia increased?
While there is no definitive answer to this question, there are a few theories. As Louis Jacob, co-author of the study, explains, “The main hypothesis to explain the association between osteoporosis and dementia is that these two conditions have similar risk factors .”
There is a collection of biomarkers that we can find in both medical conditions. For example, ApoE4 increases the risk of both dementia and osteoporosis. Similarly, low levels of vitamin K, vitamin D, androgens (such as testosterone), and estrogens also increase the risk of both conditions.
Because the study used such a large data set, the findings are robust . However, scientists also note some shortcomings. For example, they did not have full access to lifestyle factors that could have played a role in disease progression, such as alcohol use, physical activity, and smoking.
In perspective
For those who have osteoporosis or know someone who has, it is worth putting the risks in perspective. Worldwide, osteoporosis affects approximately 200 million women . In this case, a 1.2-fold increase in risk of dementia could explain millions of additional cases of dementia.
The researchers hope their findings will help scientists delve into the mechanisms shared by both conditions, which could provide insight into the treatment and prevention of dementia and osteoporosis.
Reference: Impact of Osteoporosis on the Risk of Dementia in Almost 60,000 Patients Followed in General Practices in Germany. Kostev, Karela; | Hadji, Peymanb | Jacob, Louisc. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. DOI: 10.3233 / JAD-180569
