Purpose: This study analyzes the association between the bony microarchitecture score (trabecular bone score, TBS) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in adults undergoing health exams.
Materials and methods: We retrospectively collected subjects (N = 81) who underwent coronary computed tomography and bone mineral density studies simultaneously. CAC was categorized to three levels (Group 0, G0, no CAC, score = 0, N = 45; Group 1, G1, moderate CAC, score = 1-100, N = 17; Group 2, G2, high CAC, score ≧ 101, N = 19). Multinomial logistic regression was used to study the association between TBS and CAC levels.
Results: CAC is present in 44.4% of the population. Mean TBS ± SD was 1.399 ± 0.090. Per 1 SD increase in TBS, the unadjusted odds ratio (2.393) of moderate CAC compared with no CAC was significantly increased (95% CI, 1.219-4.696, p = 0.011). However, there has been no association of TBS with high CAC (OR: 1.026, 95% CI: 0.586-1.797, p = 0.928). These relationships also existed when individually adjusted for age, sex, and multiple other covariates.
Conclusions: Higher TBS was related to moderate CAC, but not high CAC; a possible explanation may be that bone microarchitecture remodeling becomes more active when early coronary artery calcification occurs. However, further researches are needed to clarify this pathophysiology.