Correlations between clinical parameters and health related quality of life in postmenopausal osteoporotic women

Abstract

© 2016, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. e purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and clinically relevant osteodensitometric and biochemical parameters in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Bone mineral density (BMD) and T scores of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck were assessed in 100 osteoporotic women (56 without previous fractures and 44 with previous fractures) using dual x-ray absorptiometry. e Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) index for major osteoporotic and hip fractures was calculated based on demographic data and hip BMD. Venous blood samples were taken from each subject for biochemical analysis (serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and vitamin D levels). HRQoL was assessed using the QUALEFFO-41 questionnaire (domains: Health perception, Pain, and Physical, Social and Mental function). Basic participant characteristics (age, menopause length, body mass index, smoking habits, hereditary tendency towards fracture, fracture history) correlated with some of the QUALEFFO-41 domains, but the correlation coefficients were low (r<0.3), except in the case of the correlation between Pain and fracture history (r=0.638). Of the six variables included in the multiple regression model, fracture history was shown to be the most significant predictor with respect to the following three QUALEFFO-41 domains: Pain (b=20.511), Social function (b=2.548) and Health perception (b=3.185). Correlation analysis showed that after adjustment for basic characteristics, BMD and T score of the femoral neck and Pain (r=0.331 and r=0.449, respectively), Social function (r=0.422 and r=0.419) and Health perception (r=0.434 for T score of the femoral neck) exhibited the strongest correlations. Vitamin D was negatively correlated with Mental function, while the other biochemical parameters exhibited variable correlations with the QUALEFFO- 41 domains (r 0.2-0.5). Our study confirmed the previously established relationship between BMD of the femoral neck and HRQoL in patients with osteoporosis and demonstrated correlations between various blood bone metabolism parameters and HRQoL that have not been previously investigated.