The correlation of psoas muscle index with bone mineral density and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women

Abstract Purpose To investigate the correlation of psoas muscle index(PMI) with bone mineral density(BMD) and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women Methods A total of 184 postmenopausal female patients who were admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2021 were included in the study. We measured the cross-sectional area of the psoas major on both sides (at the level of the lower border of the Lumbar (L)3 vertebrae) by computed tomography (CT), and then calculated the PMI. We measured the BMD of the study subjects’ lumbar spine and hip joint by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). According to the T value, the subjects were divided into the osteoporosis group (T value≤-2.5) and the non-osteoporosis group (T value>-2.5). Then, they were further grouped according to whether they had vertebral fractures. The data was collected and then statistically analyzed. Results Height, weight, body mass index(BMI), bilateral psoas major area, and PMI of the non-osteoporosis group were higher than those of the osteoporosis group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in age, age of amenorrhea, and incidence of spinal fractures between the two groups (P > 0.05). BMD of the L1-3 vertebrae, femoral neck, and femoral trochanter was positively correlated with the PMI (P < 0.05). For non-osteoporosis subjects, the PMI of the vertebral fracture group was lower than that of the non-vertebral fracture group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the PMI for patients with osteoporosis between the vertebral fracture and non-vertebral fracture groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis have lower skeletal muscle mass than those without osteoporosis. Decreased lumbar spine and hip BMD are associated with decreased skeletal muscle mass in postmenopausal women. Sarcopenia may be an independent risk factor for spinal fractures in postmenopausal women without osteoporosis.