Serum Chemerin Levels in relation to Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Density: A Case-Control Study.

Background: To evaluate serum chemerin levels in patients with osteoporosis and healthy controls and to investigate the relationship between serum chemerin levels and bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods: An age- and gender-matched case-control study was conducted. Pearson's correlation test was performed to investigate the relationship between serum chemerin levels and BMD.

Results: There were 93 patients included in the osteoporosis group and 93 matched controls. Serum chemerin level was significantly higher in patients with osteoporosis (87.27 ± 5.80 ng/mL) than patients in control (71.13 ± 5.12 ng/mL) (P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between femoral bone mineral density and chemerin in both groups (R = -0.395, P < 0.01 in osteoporosis group; R = -0.680, P < 0.01 in control) and also a negative correlation between lumbar bone mineral density with chemerin in both groups (R = -0.306, P < 0.01 in osteoporosis group; R = -0.362, P < 0.01 in control).

Conclusions: Patients with osteoporosis presented a higher level of serum chemerin, which witnessed an inverse correlation with BMD. Further studies are needed to explore the role of chemerin in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis.