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Background: Major reports have suggested that bone mineral density (BMD) is higher in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), while other studies do not agree. Our aim was to examine the cross-sectional association between phalangeal BMD and radiographic knee OA.Methods: A total of 2855 participants were included in this study. Radiographic knee OA was defined as Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) Grade ≥ 2 in at least one leg. BMD scans of the middle phalanges of the second, third and fourth digits of the nondominant hand were performed with a compact radiographic absorptiometry system (Alara MetriScan®). A multivariable logistic analysis model was applied to test the relation between phalangeal BMD with radiographic knee OA, the presence of knee osteophytes (OSTs), and knee joint space narrowing (JSN) after adjusting for a number of potential confounding factors.Results: The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals [ORs (95 % CI)] of radiographic knee OA across phalangeal BMDs were 1.08 (95 % CI 0.89-1.32) and 0.62 (95 % CI 0.45-0.86), respectively. The P for trend was 0.09. For the female population, the multivariable-adjusted ORs (95 % CI) of radiographic knee OA across phalangeal BMD were 1.01 (95 % CI 0.73-1.37) and 0.58 (95 % CI 0.38 - 0.87), respectively. The P for trend was 0.02. This positive finding, however, did not exist in the male subgroup. There was a significantly lower prevalence of OST in the osteoporosis (OP) group than in the normal group (OR = 0.59, 95 % CI 0.40-0.88; P for trend was 0.01). In contrast, the prevalence of JSN was significantly higher in the osteopenia group (OR = 1.22, 95 % CI 1.00-1.48) and the OP group (OR = 1.35, 95 % CI 1.00-1.84) than in the normal group. The P for trend was 0.02.Conclusions: This study observed lower odds for the presence of radiographic knee OA and OST in OP patients than in normal subjects. The prevalence of JSN was higher in the osteopenia and OP groups than in normal subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epimedii herba is one of the most frequently used herbs in formulas that are prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis in China and its main constituent is Epimedium pubescen flavonoid (EPF). However, it is unclear whether EPF during chronic exposure to cigarette smoke may have a protective influence on the skeleton.The present study investigated the effect of EPF on bone mineral status and bone turnover in a rat model of human relatively high exposure to cigarette smoke.Methods: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomized into five groups: controls, passive smoking groups and passive smoking rats administered EPF at three dosage levels (75, 150 or 300 mg/kg/day) in drinking water for 4 months.A rat model of passive smoking was prepared by breeding male rats in a cigarette-smoking box. Bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers, bone histomorphometric parameters and biomechanical properties were examined.Results: Smoke exposure decreased BMC and BMD, increased bone turnover (inhibited bone formation and stimulated its resorption), affected bone histomorphometry (increased trabecular separation and osteoclast surface per bone surface; decreased trabecular bone volume, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, cortical thickness, bone formation rate and osteoblast surface per bone surface), and reduced mechanical properties.EPF supplementation during cigarette smoke exposure prevented smoke-induced changes in bone mineral status and bone turnover.Conclusion: The results suggest that EPF can prevent the adverse effects of smoke exposure on bone by stimulating bone formation and inhibiting bone turnover and bone resorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]