Measurement of serum homocysteine is useful to achieve health promotion

— Association between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis —

Abstract

 Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis are important factors for quality of life in the elderly people. Homocysteine is reported to accelerate atherosclerotic change in vessel and to have adverse affects on extracellular bone matrix by disturbing collagen cross-linking, leading to osteoporosis. High level of serum homocysteine was found in male cases who did not meet the Japanese criteria for metabolic syndrome, but have hypertension. In addition, level of serum homocysteine was higher in female cases in reduced bone mineral density with disturbed metabolism of serum LDL-cholesterol and/ or plasma glucose. These results suggested that measurement of serum homocysteine is necessary to predict health promotion, as homocysteine plays a significant role in the association between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.