Relationship between bone mineral density, coronary risk factors, C-reactive protein, and Insulin growth factor in frail elderly

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relation between bone mineral density (BMD), inflammation, coronary risk factors, and Insulin growth factor (IGF) in frail elderly. Design: A casecontrol study. Setting: Ain Shams University Hospital Cairo, Egypt. Participants: Ninety aged 60 years and above; sixty frail (30 males and 30 females; mean age 70.03 ± 8.10) and thirty matched controls (15 males and 15 females; mean age 69.07 ± 5.93). Measurements: History, examination, comprehensive geriatric assessment, measurement of BMD, and laboratory investigations including; high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) glycated haemoglobin, IGF, lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Results: The frail group had significantly lower levels of triglycerides and LDL, hs-CRP and glycated haemoglobin levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001), and BMD and IGF levels were significantly lower when compared with the control group (P < 0.00, P = 0.05) respectively. We also found that BMD had a significant positive linear correlation with IGF and negative correlation with age. Conclusion: Frailty was associated with low BMD, lower triglycerides & LDL levels, and higher hsCRP levels. A borderline significance was found between IGF levels and frailty. A positive correlation was found between BMD and IGF in frail.