Weight changes after smoking cessation affect the risk of vertebral fractures: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Smoking cessation reduces the risk of vertebral and hip fractures but usually increases body weight. Since underweight is known as a risk factor for vertebral fractures, smoking cessation is considered to have a protective effect on vertebral fractures. However, the actual effect of weight change after smoking cessation on the risk of vertebral fractures remains uncertain. PURPPOSE: This study aimed to assess the risk of vertebral fractures among individuals who reported smoking cessation with a specific focus on changes in body weight. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study based on nationwide health insurance database. PATIENT SAMPLE: Participants were from nationwide biennial health checkups between 2007 and 2009 conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Participants were followed up from 2010 to 2018 to find incidence of newly developed vertebral fractures. OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence rate was defined as the incidence rate (IR) per 1,000 person-years (PY). Cox proportional regression analysis was used to analyze the risk of vertebral fracture to determine the hazard ratio (HR) associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures based on smoking status and weight changes. METHODS: Based on their self-reported questionnaires, the participants were classified into three groups: current smokers, quitters, and nonsmokers. The quitter was defined as an individual who were smokers in 2007 and ceased smoking in 2009. Individuals with smoking cessation were categorized according to the weight change between baseline and 2 years prior: weight maintenance (-5∼5 % of weight change), weight loss (<-5 % of weight change), and weight gain (>5 % of weight change). We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to determine the hazard ratio (HR) associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures based on smoking status and temporal weight change over 2 years. RESULTS: This study evaluated 913,805 eligible participants, of whom 672,858 were classified as nonsmokers, 34,143 as quitters, and 206,804 as current smokers. Among quitters, 2,372 (6.9%) individuals had weight loss, and 7,816 (22.9%) had weight gain over 2 years. About 23,952 (70.2%) individuals maintained their weight over 2 years. The overall risk of vertebral fractures was significantly higher in quitters (adjusted HR [aHR]=1.110, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.013-1-216) than in nonsmokers, but it was lower than in current smokers (aHR=1.197, 95%CI 1.143-1.253), regardless of weight change after smoking cessation. However, individuals who experienced weight loss after smoking cessation exhibited a notably higher risk of vertebral fractures than current smokers (aHR=1.321, 95%CI 1.004-1.461). In the female population, weight gain after smoking cessation was associated with a higher risk of vertebral fractures (aHR = 1.470, 95%CI 1.002-2.587) than in current female smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining weight after smoking cessation may mitigate the risk of vertebral fractures. Weight loss after smoking cessation adversely affects the protective effects of smoking cessation on vertebral fractures in the general population.

Emergence of Inequality in Income and Wealth Dynamics.

Increasing wealth inequality is a significant global issue that demands attention. While the distribution of wealth varies across countries based on their economic stages, there is a universal trend observed in the distribution function. Typically, regions with lower wealth values exhibit an exponential distribution, while regions with higher wealth values demonstrate a power-law distribution. In this review, we introduce measures that effectively capture wealth inequality and examine wealth distribution functions within the wealth exchange model. Drawing inspiration from the field of econophysics, wealth exchange resulting from economic activities is likened to a kinetic model, where molecules collide and exchange energy. Within this framework, two agents exchange a specific amount of wealth. As we delve into the analysis, we investigate the impact of various factors such as tax collection, debt allowance, and savings on the wealth distribution function when wealth is exchanged. These factors play a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of wealth distribution.

Multi-Object Tracking on SWIR Images for City Surveillance in an Edge-Computing Environment.

Although Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensors have advantages in terms of robustness in bad weather and low-light conditions, the SWIR images have not been well studied for automated object detection and tracking systems. The majority of previous multi-object tracking studies have focused on pedestrian tracking in visible-spectrum images, but tracking different types of vehicles is also important in city-surveillance scenarios. In addition, the previous studies were based on high-computing-power environments such as GPU workstations or servers, but edge computing should be considered to reduce network bandwidth usage and privacy concerns in city-surveillance scenarios. In this paper, we propose a fast and effective multi-object tracking method, called Multi-Class Distance-based Tracking (MCDTrack), on SWIR images of city-surveillance scenarios in a low-power and low-computation edge-computing environment. Eight-bit integer quantized object detection models are used, and simple distance and IoU-based similarity scores are employed to realize effective multi-object tracking in an edge-computing environment. Our MCDTrack is not only superior to previous multi-object tracking methods but also shows high tracking accuracy of 77.5% MOTA and 80.2% IDF1 although the object detection and tracking are performed on the edge-computing device. Our study results indicate that a robust city-surveillance solution can be developed based on the edge-computing environment and low-frame-rate SWIR images.

Effects of submicron magnetite particles on granulation of flocculent sludge and process stability in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor.

Promoting direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) with conductive additives is considered a promising approach to enhance methanogenesis. This study investigated the effects of adding submicron magnetite particles on sludge granulation and methanogenic performance in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors inoculated with flocculent sludge. The reactor supplemented with magnetite was more stable and resilient than the no-magnetite control, with higher degree of granulation (up to 26.6-fold) and biomass retention. Magnetite addition to unstable reactors improved the methane yield in both reactors (1.2-1.3-fold). Electroactive Deltaproteobacteria bacteria, including Geobacter and Syntrophobacter, were enriched in the presence of magnetite. Methanogenic functional genes involved in DIET-based syntrophy were more abundant under magnetite-supplemented conditions. However, the improvement of methanogenic performance and granulation was limited, and inducing the self-embedment of magnetite into mature sludge granules rather than granulating flocculent sludge with magnetite appears to be a better strategy for engineering DIET in anaerobic granular sludge systems.

Flow Synthesis of L-α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine: Studies on Synthetic Routes Applicable to a Flow Reactor and Optimization of Reaction Conditions.

L-α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine (L-α-GPC) has mainly been produced by two methods: extraction from plants rich in phosphatidylcholine and chemical synthesis. However, production through extraction involves difficult processes, such as fermentation, extractions and ripening, and conventional chemical synthesis methods with high-cost reactants and a batch reactor. These methods are not ideal for large-quantity production. Thus, it is important to develop a simple production method of L-α-GPC, which is suitable for mass production without the need for expensive reactants. Here, we studied synthetic L-α-GPC methods that are applicable to a flow synthesis system, which can provide selectivity, reproducibility, scalability, and a high yield in short reaction time using inexpensive starting materials. We developed a two-step synthetic route to produce L-α-GPC, including the synthesis of phosphoryl choline using choline chloride and phosphoryl oxychloride (POCl3) as a first step and synthesis of L-α-GPC by reacting phosphoryl choline with (R)-(-)-3-chloro-1,2-propanediol (CPD) as a second step under basic conditions. Both steps were separately performed in a customized flow reactor, and reaction conditions were optimized. Finally, phosphoryl choline and L-α-GPC, the products first and second reactions, were successfully synthesized with high conversion yields of 97% and 79%, respectively.

Strength and Permeability Properties of Pervious Concrete Containing Coal Bottom Ash Aggregates.

This study investigates the strength and permeability properties of pervious concrete-containing coal bottom ash (CBA) aggregates. Two pervious concrete mixtures were fabricated with different aggregate size distributions. One mixture contained CBA aggregates with a single-type distribution and the other mixture contained CBA aggregates with a hybrid-type distribution. The test parameters of the CBA pervious concrete included the water/cement (W/C) ratio and compaction level to investigate their effects on the properties. W/C ratios of 0.25, 0.30, and 0.35 were considered for the mixture, and compaction levels of 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 MPa were applied to fabricate the pervious specimen. The increase in the W/C ratio reduced the strength by approximately 20% to 30% of the CBA pervious concrete. The increase in the compaction level reduced the permeability by approximately four to five times but significantly increased the strength of the CBA pervious concrete. The test results indicate that the use of single-type CBA or hybrid CBA aggregates with different size distributions affected the properties of the pervious concrete. The strength of specimens, including hybrid CBA aggregates, was 30% to 45% greater than that of the specimens containing single-type CBA aggregates. Meanwhile, the use of hybrid CBA aggregates reduced the permeability of the CBA pervious concrete by approximately 20% to 35%. Finally, relationships between the strength properties, permeability characteristics and total void ratios of the CBA pervious concrete specimens are suggested based on the test results.

Ultrafast-Laser Micro-Structuring of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 Cathode for High-Rate Capability of Three-Dimensional Li-ion Batteries.

Femtosecond ultrafast-laser micro-patterning was employed to prepare a three-dimensional (3D) structure for the tape-casting Ni-rich LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathode. The influences of laser structuring on the electrochemical performance of NMC811 were investigated. The 3D-NMC811 cathode retained capacities of 77.8% at 2 C of initial capacity at 0.1 C, which was thrice that of 2D-NMC811 with an initial capacity of 27.8%. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that the 3D electrode improved the Li+ ion transportation at the electrode-electrolyte interface, resulting in a higher rate capability. The diffusivity coefficient DLi+, calculated by both CV and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, revealed that 3D-NMC811 delivered faster Li+ ion transportation with higher DLi+ than that of 2D-NMC811. The laser ablation of the active material also led to a lower charge-transfer resistance, which represented lower polarization and improved Li+ ion diffusivity.

A High-Affinity 64Cu-Labeled Ligand for PET Imaging of Hepsin: Design, Synthesis, and Characterization.

Hepsin, a cell surface serine protease, is a potential biomarker for the detection of prostate cancer due to its high expression in prostate cancer but not in normal prostate. This study aimed to develop a radioligand for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of hepsin. Six leucine-arginine (Leu-Arg) dipeptide derivatives (two diastereomers for each of three ligands) were synthesized and evaluated for their binding affinities and selectivity for hepsin. Based on the binding assay, a natCu-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-conjugated ligand (3B) was selected for the development of a PET radioligand. [64Cu]3B was synthesized by labeling the DOTA-conjugated compound 11B with [64Cu]CuCl2 at 80 °C for 20 min. The radioligand was evaluated for prostate cancer cell binding and PET imaging in a prostate tumor mouse model. The results demonstrated that [64Cu]3B exhibited high binding to LNCaP cells, intermediate binding to 22Rv1 cells, and low binding to PC3 cells. PET studies of [64Cu]3B in mice, implanted with 22Rv1 and PC3 cells on each flank, revealed that the radioligand uptake was high and persistent in the 22Rv1 tumors over time, whereas it was low in PC3 tumors. The results of this study suggest that [64Cu]3B is a promising PET radioligand for hepsin imaging.

Device and Circuit Analysis of Double Gate Field Effect Transistor with Mono-Layer WS2-Channel at Sub-2 nm Technology Node.

In this work, WS2 was adopted as a channel material among transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) materials that have recently been in the spotlight, and the circuit power performance (power consumption, operating frequency) of the monolayer WS2 field-effect transistor with a double gate structure (DG WS2-FET) was analyzed. It was confirmed that the effective capacitance, which is circuit power performance, was greatly changed by the extrinsic capacitance components of DG WS2-FET, and the spacer region length (LSPC) and dielectric constant (KSPC) values of the spacer that could affect the extrinsic capacitance components were analyzed to identify the circuit power performance. As a result, when LSPC is increased by 1.5 nm with the typical spacer material (KSPC = 7.5), increased operating speed (+4.9%) and reduced active power (-6.8%) are expected. In addition, it is expected that the spacer material improvement by developing the low-k spacer from KSPC = 7.5 to KSPC = 2 at typical LSPC = 8 nm can increase the operating speed by 36.8% while maintaining similar active power consumption. Considering back-end-of-line (BEOL), the change in circuit power performance according to wire length was also analyzed. From these results, it can be seen that reducing the capacitance components of the extrinsic region is very important for improving the circuit power performance of the DG WS2-FET.

Hemiarthroplasty through Direct Anterior Approach for Unstable Femoral Intertrochanteric Fractures in the Elderly: Analysis of Early Cases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the direct anterior approach (DAA) can be applied to hemiarthroplasty for treatment of unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 34 cases (34 patients) who underwent bipolar hemiarthroplasty using a DAA from February 2019 to April 2020. The mean age of the patients was 82.68 years (range, 67-95 years). A cementless distal fixation hip system was used in all cases. Operation time, total amount of blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative fractures, infections, and reoperations were measured. The patients performed weight-bearing walking as tolerated immediately after surgery. Measurement of migration of the greater trochanter (GT) and progressive subsidence of the femoral stem was performed using follow-up radiographs. Results: The mean operative time was 83.50 minutes (range, 60-120 minutes). The mean amount of bleeding was 263.53 mL (range, 112-464 mL). Walking started a mean of 3-03 days (range, 3-4 days) after surgery. There was no case of progressive migration of the GT more than 5 mm even though it was not fixed. There were no cases of infection, dislocation, or reoperation. Conclusion: Bipolar hemiarthroplasty using the DAA for treatment of unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures could be considered a useful option that provides many advantages in elderly patients.

Porosity-based heterojunctions enable leadless optoelectronic modulation of tissues.

Homo- and heterojunctions play essential roles in semiconductor-based devices such as field-effect transistors, solar cells, photodetectors and light-emitting diodes. Semiconductor junctions have been recently used to optically trigger biological modulation via photovoltaic or photoelectrochemical mechanisms. The creation of heterojunctions typically involves materials with different doping or composition, which leads to high cost, complex fabrications and potential side effects at biointerfaces. Here we show that a porosity-based heterojunction, a largely overlooked system in materials science, can yield an efficient photoelectrochemical response from the semiconductor surface. Using self-limiting stain etching, we create a nanoporous/non-porous, soft-hard heterojunction in p-type silicon within seconds under ambient conditions. Upon surface oxidation, the heterojunction yields a strong photoelectrochemical response in saline. Without any interconnects or metal modifications, the heterojunction enables efficient non-genetic optoelectronic stimulation of isolated rat hearts ex vivo and sciatic nerves in vivo with optical power comparable to optogenetics, and with near-infrared capabilities.

Synthesis and Evaluation of a 18F-Labeled Ligand for PET Imaging of Colony-Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor.

Neuroinflammation involves activation of glial cells in the brain, and activated microglia play a particularly important role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we developed 5-cyano-N-(4-(4-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)piperazin-1-yl)-2-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl)furan-2-carboxamide ([18F]1) for PET imaging of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), an emerging target for neuroinflammation imaging. Non-radioactive ligand 1 exhibited binding affinity comparable to that of a known CSF1R inhibitor, 5-cyano-N-(4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl)furan-2-carboxamide (CPPC). Therefore, we synthesized radioligand [18F]1 by radiofluorination of chlorine-substituted precursor 7 in 13-15% decay-corrected radiochemical yield. Dynamic PET/CT images showed higher uptake in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mouse brain than in control mouse brain. Ex vivo biodistribution study conducted at 45 min after radioligand injection showed that the brain uptake in LPS mice increased by 78% compared to that of control mice and was inhibited by 22% in LPS mice pretreated with CPPC, indicating specificity of [18F]1 for CSF1R. A metabolism study demonstrated that the radioligand underwent little metabolism in the mouse brain. Taken together, these results suggest that [18F]1 may hold promise as a radioligand for CSF1R imaging.

Stable Zn Metal Anodes with Limited Zn-Doping in MgF2 Interphase for Fast and Uniformly Ionic Flux.

The practical applications of aqueous Zn metal batteries are currently restricted by the inherent drawbacks of Zn such as the hydrogen evolution reaction, sluggish kinetics, and dendrite formation. To address these problems, herein, a limitedly Zn-doped MgF2 interphase comprising an upper region of pure, porous MgF2 and a lower region of gradient Zn-doped MgF2 is achieved via radio frequency sputtering technique. The porous MgF2 region is a polar insulator whose high corrosion resistance facilitates the de-solvation of the solvated Zn ions and suppression of hydrogen evolution, resulting in Zn metal electrodes with a low interfacial resistance. The Zn-doped MgF2 region facilitates fast transfer kinetics and homogeneous deposition of Zn ions owing to the interfacial polarization between the Zn dopant and MgF2 matrix, and the high concentration of the Zn dopant on the surface of the metal substrate as fine nuclei. Consequently, a symmetric cell incorporating the proposed Zn metal exhibits low overpotentials of ~ 27.2 and ~ 99.7 mV without Zn dendrites over 250 to 8000 cycles at current densities of 1.0 and 10.0 mA cm-2, respectively. The developed Zn/MnO2 full cell exhibits superior capacity retentions of 97.5% and 84.0% with average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.96% after 1000 and 3000 cycles, respectively.

Interlayer Strength of 3D-Printed Mortar Reinforced by Postinstalled Reinforcement.

This work was designed to evaluate the interlayer strength of 3D-printed mortar with postinstalled interlayer reinforcement. Two methods of postinstalled interlayer reinforcement were considered according to the amount of overlapping. The first method did not include overlapping of the interlayer reinforcement, while the second method included overlap lengths of 20 and 40 mm. Additionally, two different curing conditions were considered: air-curing conditions and water-curing conditions. The compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural tensile strengths of 3D-printed mortar specimens with different reinforcement methods and curing conditions were investigated under three loading directions. The three loading directions were defined based on the three planes of the printed specimens. The compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural tensile strengths were dependent on the loading directions. In particular, the splitting and flexural tensile strengths decreased considerably when tensile stresses acted on the interlayers of the 3D-printed mortar specimens. However, when longitudinal interlayer reinforcement penetrated the printed layers, the flexural tensile strength or interlayer bonding strength of the printed specimens increased significantly at the interlayers. In addition, mortar specimens reinforced with overlap lengths of 20 and 40 mm were investigated in this study. The flexural tensile strength or interlayer bonding strength of 3D-printed mortar decreased after treatment under air-curing conditions because the interlayers of the printed mortar formed more pores under these conditions and were more vulnerable under loading. Finally, the findings of this study suggested that interlayer reinforcement is a potential method for improving the interlayer bonding strength of 3D-printed mortar.

Selected Strength Properties of Coal Bottom Ash (CBA) Concrete Containing Fly Ash under Different Curing and Drying Conditions.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of curing and drying conditions on the strength properties of concrete containing coal bottom ash (CBA) and fly ash as substitutes for fine aggregates and cement, respectively. The strength properties of the concrete including CBA and fly ash were evaluated under two different curing and drying conditions: saturated surface-dry (SSD) conditions and oven-dried conditions at curing ages of 28 and 91 days. The natural fine aggregates of the mixtures were replaced by CBA fine aggregates at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% by volume. In addition, the cement in the mixtures was partly replaced with fly ash at 20% and 40%. The experimental program included the measurement of the unit weight, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and ultrasonic pulse velocity of the concrete. The test results showed that the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength decreased as the CBA content increased under both SSD and oven-dried conditions. The curing and drying conditions of the concrete with CBA and fly ash considerably influenced the reduction in the compressive, splitting, and flexural tensile strengths of the concrete. Additionally, the experimental results showed that fly ash insignificantly contributed to the reduction in the strength properties under both SSD and oven-dried conditions. Finally, the relationships between ultrasonic pulse velocity and the splitting tensile strength, flexural tensile strength, and compressive strength were investigated.

Protective Effects of Ethanolic Extract from Rhizome of Polygoni avicularis against Renal Fibrosis and Inflammation in a Diabetic Nephropathy Model.

Progressive diabetic nephropathy (DN) in diabetes leads to major morbidity and mortality. The major pathological alterations of DN include mesangial expansion, extracellular matrix alterations, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and glomerular sclerosis. Polygoni avicularis is widely used in traditional oriental medicine and has long been used as a diuretic, astringent, insecticide and antihypertensive. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the effects of the ethanolic extract from rhizome of Polygoni avicularis (ER-PA) on DN have not yet been assessed. The present study aimed to identify the effect of ER-PA on renal dysfunction, which has been implicated in DN in human renal mesangial cells and db/db mice and investigate its mechanism of action. The in vivo experiment was performed using Polygoni avicularis-ethanol soluble fraction (ER-PA) and was administrated to db/db mice at 10 and 50 mg/kg dose. For the in vitro experiments, the human renal mesangial cells were induced by high glucose (HG, 25 mM). The ER-PA group showed significant amelioration in oral glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance index. ER-PA significantly improved the albumin excretion and markedly reduced plasma creatinine, kidney injury molecule-1 and C-reactive protein. In addition, ER-PA significantly suppressed inflammatory cytokines. Histopathologically, ER-PA attenuated glomerular expansion and tubular fibrosis in db/db mice. Furthermore, ER-PA suppressed the expression of renal fibrosis biomarkers (TGF and Collagen IV). ER-PA also reduced the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammatory factor level. These results suggest that ER-PA has a protective effect against renal dysfunction through improved insulin resistance as well as the inhibition of nephritis and fibrosis in DN.

A soft and transparent contact lens for the wireless quantitative monitoring of intraocular pressure.

Continuous detection of raised intraocular pressure (IOP) could benefit the monitoring of patients with glaucoma. Current contact lenses with embedded sensors for measuring IOP are rigid, bulky, partially block vision or are insufficiently sensitive. Here, we report the design and testing in volunteers of a soft and transparent contact lens for the quantitative monitoring of IOP in real time using a smartphone. The contact lens incorporates a strain sensor, a wireless antenna, capacitors, resistors, stretchable metal interconnects and an integrated circuit for wireless communication. In rabbits, the lens provided measurements that match those of a commercial tonometer. In ten human participants, the lens proved to be safe, and reliably provided accurate quantitative measurements of IOP without inducing inflammation.

Effect of stem position and length on bone-stem constructs after cementless hip arthroplasty.

AIMS: There are concerns regarding initial stability and early periprosthetic fractures in cementless hip arthroplasty using short stems. This study aimed to investigate stress on the cortical bone around the stem and micromotions between the stem and cortical bone according to femoral stem length and positioning. METHODS: In total, 12 femoral finite element models (FEMs) were constructed and tested in walking and stair-climbing. Femoral stems of three different lengths and two different positions were simulated, assuming press-fit fixation within each FEM. Stress on the cortical bone and micromotions between the stem and bone were measured in each condition. RESULTS: Stress concentration was observed on the medial and lateral interfaces between the cortical bone and stem. With neutral stem insertion, mean stress over a region of interest was greater at the medial than lateral interface regardless of stem length, which increased as the stem shortened. Mean stress increased in the varus-inserted stems compared to the stems inserted neutrally, especially at the lateral interface in contact with the stem tip. The maximum stress was observed at the lateral interface in a varus-inserted short stem. All mean stresses were greater in stair-climbing condition than walking. Each micromotion was also greater in shorter stems and varus-inserted stems, and in stair-climbing condition. CONCLUSION: The stem should be inserted neutrally and stair-climbing movement should be avoided in the early postoperative period, in order to preserve early stability and reduce the possibility of thigh pain, especially when using a shorter stem. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(4):250-258.

The Influence of Restrictive Pulmonary Dysfunction on Osteoporotic Thoracic Vertebral Fractures.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PURPOSE: To examine the influence of restrictive pulmonary dysfunction on osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures generally result in an increased kyphotic angle, which in turn may lead to pulmonary function impairment. Impaired pulmonary function could be associated with vertebral fractures. However, an association between osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures and pulmonary function remains controversial. METHODS: A total of 96 patients were enrolled in this study, 30 of whom had osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures (group 1), 30 with chronic back pain (group 2), and 36 with chronic pulmonary diseases (group 3). Radiologic study of prevalent vertebral fractures, thoracic kyphotic angle, bone mineral density, relaxed expiratory vital capacity, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in spirometry was investigated. RESULTS: The mean FVC and FEV1 were 75.66%±20.23% and 79.93%±22.48%, respectively, in group 1; 84.50%±16.25% and 91.87%±21.65%, respectively, in group 2; and 91.64%±17.53% and 91.03%±23.71%, respectively, in group 3. Group 1 (patients with osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fracture) had the lowest FVC among the three groups (p=0.01). Group 1 revealed worse result of pulmonary dysfunction than group 3 (patients with chronic pulmonary diseases) (p=0.01). The average kyphosis angle of the thoracic spine was 26.95°±15.17°, 36.47°±20.08°, and 28.58°±10.58° in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There was a negative correlation between thoracic kyphosis and FEV1 (r=-0.309, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fracture burden could be affected by restrictive pulmonary dysfunction.