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Bone Abstracts (2016) 5 P23 | DOI: 10.1530/boneabs.5.P23

ECTS2016 Poster Presentations Bone biomechanics and quality (21 abstracts)

Impact of visceral adiposity on trabecular bone score in obese postmenopausal women: A cohort study

Antimo Moretti 1 , Francesca Gimigliano 2 , Dario Calafiore 1 , Maria Teresa Giamattei 1 & Giovanni Iolascon 1


1Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, Second University of Naples – Italy, Naples, Italy; 2Department of Physical and Mental Health and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples – Italy, Naples, Italy.


Background: Higher BMI values are associated with greater bone mineral density (BMD) resulting in a site-specific protective effect for fragility fractures. However, pathophysiologic influence of central adiposity on bone quality may oppose the seemingly positive influence of a greater mechanical loading with higher body masses. The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of visceral fat on trabecular bone microarchitecture in postmenopausal obese women.

Materials and methods: In this study we reported data from medical records of obese postmenopausal women (BMI ≧30 kg/m2). In this population we assessed BMD at lumbar spine (LS BMD) and at femoral neck (FN BMD), Trabecular Bone Score (TBS), VAT volume and VAT mass. We divided our population into quartiles of VAT volume. SPSS 21.0 was used to assess the differences between groups in TBS, according to cut-off proposed by Silva et al. [1].

Results: Data of 226 women were reported in table 1.

Table 1
Total (n=226)VAT<1,398 cm3 (n=56)VAT 1,398<x<1,764 cm3 (n=57)VAT 1,765<x<2,371 cm3 (n=57)VAT>2,371 cm3 (n=56)P value
Age (years)64.56±8.4263.26±8.8763.86±7.9065.25±9.1165.87±7.570.332*
BMI (kg/m2)34.18±3.3233.00±2.2633.58±2.8034.34±2.8335.83±4.42<0.001*
TBS1.17±0.141.23±0.141.18±0.151.17±0.121.11±0.13<0.001*
LS BMD1.091±0.181.083±0.171,101±0.201.086±0,171.093±0.170.984*
LS T-score −0.715±1.53−0.79±1.49−0.56±1.73−0.78±1.44−0.70±1.460.982*
*Kruskal–Wallis test for independent samples.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that visceral fat might play a key role in bone microarchitectural changes in obese women. TBS might be used to identify obese individuals at highest risk of impaired bone strength. However, additional researches to identify mechanisms linking greater adiposity to adverse effects on bone are needed.

Reference: 1. Silva BC, et al. “Trabecular bone score: a noninvasive analytical method based upon the DXA image”. J Bone Miner Res 2014; Mar 29(3): 518–30.

Volume 5

43rd Annual European Calcified Tissue Society Congress

Rome, Italy
14 May 2016 - 17 May 2016

European Calcified Tissue Society 

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