González-Macías J et al. - In a cohort of 5,201 women (72.3±5.3 yrs) followed for 3 years, no relationship between heel quantitative bone ultrasound (QUS) parameters and overall mortality was found. However, a significant relationship between a low speed of sound (SOS) and vascular mortality was observed. Methods
A 3-year prospective, study designed to assess the ability of heel QUS and clinical risk factors to predict non-vertebral fracture risk in women (n=5201) over 64
QUS was assessed with the Sahara® bone sonometer
Women attended f/u visits every 6 mos
Patient’s died and cause was recorded
Results
1.9% women died during a median of 36.1 mos f/u, for a total of 14,999 patient-years, 42 because of vascular events
After adjusting for age, none of the QUS variables showed differences between the pts who died and the survivors
Current thyroxine and hypoglycaemic drug use, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and decreased visual acuity, SOS was marginally non-significant
However, each 1 SD reduction in SOS was associated with a 39% increase in vascular mortality
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