The relationship between bone mineral density and hematological parameters in the geriatric age group

Abstract

Introduction: As populations gradually become older, osteoporosis manifests itself as an important public health problem. Studies have shown that inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. NLR (neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio) and PLR (platelet to lymphocyte ratio) are simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive markers of inflammation in malignancies and inflammatory diseases. This study aims to compare osteopenic, osteoporotic, and control subjects, who do not have other known diseases or a history of medication use, in terms of their NLR and PLR levels and evaluate the relationship between NLR, PLR levels and BMD. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 308 patients aged 65 or above. Total bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Complete blood count (CBC), biomarkers of inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), glucose/lipid metabolism, and thyroid function test results were recorded. Results: The osteoporosis group demonstrated higher NLR levels compared to the osteopenic and control groups (respectively 3.58 ± 4.22, 2.64 ± 1.99, and 2.36 ± 1.39), and this relationship between the groups was found to be statistically significant (p=0.025). Our data revealed higher sedimentation values for the osteoporosis group than for the osteopenic and healthy control groups with statistical significance (p=0.011). Conclusions: The fact that individuals with geriatric osteoporosis demonstrate elevated NLR levels and that this elevation is also seen in sedimentation suggests that inflammation plays an important role in bone remodelling.