Sex differences in the association between stroke and bone mineral density in elderly Koreans: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008–2010

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether osteoporosis is more prevalent in elderly Korean people who have had a stroke and whether the association differs by sex. Study design A total of 3806 elderly subjects (1951 men and 1855 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included in this study. Stroke history was determined by self-administered questionnaire. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spine, total hip, and neck of the femur using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. It was categorized as normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis. Results In men who had had a stroke, the prevalence of osteoporosis was greater than that of both osteopenia and normal BMD, and the prevalence of osteopenia was greater than that of normal BMD (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in BMD level among women who had had a stroke. Men who had had a stroke undertook less vigorous exercise and moderate-or-vigorous exercise than did men who had not had a stroke (p = 0.002 and 0.030, respectively). After adjusting for all covariates, the mean BMD at the lumbar spine, total hip and neck of the femur was lower in men who had had a stroke than in men who had not (p = 0.034, 0.002, and 0.005, respectively). There were no significant differences in mean BMD at any of the three sites between women who had and women who had not had a stroke. Conclusion Men who have had a stroke have a higher prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis, and have lower BMD at the total hip and femur neck than men who have not had a stroke.