A study reveals that individuals who use anticoagulants seem to have decreased bone density and quality, an effect that is seen with direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs); however, more pronounced with warfarin.
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Research covered 150 patients using oral anticoagulants
for >1 year and a paired control non-user group. All patients completed a
questionnaire and had their bone mineral density or BMD and trabecular bone
score or TBS evaluated.
Population’s average age was 60.49 years old, and most
participants were men at 64%. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia
were the most common comorbidities.
The bone mass was low in 42% of patients in the
control group, 50% in the DOAC group, and 66% in the warfarin group. Using the
logistic regression analysis, it showed that BMD to be correlated with body
mass index or BMI, creatinine level, and TBS value. Specifically, TBS dropped
progressively from the control to the DOAC and warfarin groups.
The factors correlated with low TBS included warfarin
use, BMI, and hyperglycemia, an active IPAQ classification, and family history
of hip fracture.
Source: Bone 2021;doi:10.1016/j.bone.2021.116000