Osteopenia occurs in older women in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China：relationship of serum leptin level with bone mineral density and related indicators / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Some studies have demonstrated that there is a clear correlation between osteocyte differentiation and leptin. Animal experiments have also confirmed that leptin indirectly inhibits the formation of osteoblasts through the central nervous system, but it also has some influences on the anabolism in bone microenvironment of osteoblasts. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the variation of serum leptin levels in older female patients with osteopenia, and the relationship between serum leptin levels, bone mineral density and related biochemical indexes of bone turnover. METHODS: The older female patients, aged≥ 60 years, who had lived in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for more than 30 years, were selected. Among these patients, 74 had osteoporosis, 111 had osteopenia, and 191 had normal bone mass. Serum leptin levels, bone alkaline phosphatase and other indicators of the patients were detected using enzyme-linked immunoassay method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the normal group, the body mass index value and leptin level were significantly lower in the osteoporosis group (P < 0.01) and in the osteopenia group (P < 0.05). The bone mineral densities of al parts of patients in the osteoporosis group were lower than those in the osteopenia and normal groups (P < 0.01), and the bone mineral density value of patients in the ostopenia group was significantly lower than that in the normal group (P < 0.01). The serum leptin levels of older female patients with osteoporosis were significantly positively correlated with the bone mineral density value of the anteroposterior lumbar spine and the left hip bone (r=0.870,r=0.468,P < 0.01). The serum leptin levels of older female patients with osteopenia were significantly positively correlated with the bone mineral density value of the anteroposterior lumbar spine and the left hip (r=0.477, r=0.467,P < 0.01). The serum leptin levels of older female patients with osteoporosis were significantly positively correlated with body mass index (r=0.502,P < 0.01). These results suggest that reduced levels of serum leptin may play an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and osteopenia in older female patients in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.