Low BMD predicts death, infections in stroke patients

Stroke patients who have low bone mineral density (BMD), particularly in the spine and femur, are at greater risk of mortality and urinary tract infection (UTI), reveals a study.

This single-centre retrospective cohort study examined the relationship between low BMD and risks of mortality and infections in 905 stroke patients (mean age 76.1 years, 70.5 percent female) from a Taiwanese database (2000–2022). The investigators then grouped participants based on BMD measurements of the femur and spine.

All-cause mortality was the primary outcome, while UTI and pneumonia were secondary. The investigators performed accelerated failure time regression model analyses to explore the association between BMD and the said outcomes. They also used the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test to examine survival differences between groups.

Of the participants, 33.82 percent had osteopenia and 55.25 percent had osteoporosis. Stroke patients with lower spine and right femur BMD showed significantly lower survival rates, specifically when BMD values dropped below 0.842 g/cm² for the spine and 0.624 g/cm² for the right femur.

Likewise, a lower spine BMD showed a significant association with a higher UTI risk.

“These findings highlight the importance of assessing and managing BMD in stroke patients to improve outcomes and reduce complications,” the investigators said. 

Low BMD has been previously linked to increased mortality and infection risks in the general population, according to the investigators.