Investigation of eNOS gene polymorphism exposes a genetic association between endothelial dysfunction and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES To investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene with endothelial dysfunction associated osteoporosis in postmenopausal women of Punjab, India. METHODS The study involved 456 postmenopausal women having endothelial dysfunction categorized according to women with (n = 236) and without osteoporosis (n = 220). Bone mineral density (BMD) and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) were evaluated together with six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the eNOS gene (rs2070744, rs1799983, rs1800780, rs3918181, rs891512, and rs1808593). RESULTS A moderate association between RHI and BMD at femoral neck (r = 0.213, P = 0.002) and lumbar spine (r = 0.267, P