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Smoking and bone mineral density: comprehensive analyses of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)

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Abstract

Summary

Some questions remain on the relationship between smoking and bone health. Detailed analyses of the relationship between smoking and BMD are presented, essentially ruling out non-linear associations as an explanation for inconsistent results in the literature.

Introduction

To provide comprehensive multiple regression and dose-response analyses of the association between smoking behavior variables and bone health as assessed by radiologically determined bone mineral density in NHANES III.

Methods

Analyzes of a representative cross-sectional survey of the noninstitutionalized population of the USA. Self-reported smoking behavior and bone mineral density of 14,510 participants were analyzed using survey design-based multiple linear regression modeling. Dose-response patterns were analyzed using restricted cubic spline regression.

Results

Femoral neck bone mineral density in current smokers was numerically lower than in never smokers, but this was not statistically significant after controlling for confounders. In former smokers, bone mineral density T scores were 0.064 units higher for every 10 years of abstinence, with little impact of confounder adjustment. Spline regression revealed no relevant non-linearity in the associations studied.

Conclusions

Non-linearity is an unlikely explanation for inconsistent results in the literature on smoking and bone mineral density. Further and especially longitudinal studies of the complex relationship smoking with bone health would be particularly important given the still substantial prevalence of smoking in an aging global population.

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Funding

No specific funding was received for this work. The NCHS is responsible only for the initial data, which this work is based upon. However, solely the authors are responsible for any analyses, interpretations, and conclusions described in the present work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, GRN Hospital Sinsheim, Sinsheim, Germany

    Dominik Strozyk

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Infectiology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany

    Thomas M. Gress & Lutz P. Breitling

  3. Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany

    Lutz P. Breitling

Authors
  1. Dominik Strozyk
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  2. Thomas M. Gress
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  3. Lutz P. Breitling
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Contributions

Conceived research question, drafted the manuscript and supervised all aspects of the work: LB. Data analysis: DS, LB. Interpretation of results, critical manuscript revision for intellectual content, approval of final version of manuscript: all authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lutz P. Breitling.

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Conflict of interest

DS and LB declare that they have no conflict of interest. TMG has received research grants from Novartis and speaker honoraria from Novartis, Ipsen, and Pfizer.

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Strozyk, D., Gress, T.M. & Breitling, L.P. Smoking and bone mineral density: comprehensive analyses of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Arch Osteoporos 13, 16 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-018-0426-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-018-0426-8

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