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Palermo et al. Serum irisin levels correlate with osteoporotic vertebral fractures
DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2015.105
Irisin, an anabolic messenger produced by muscle during exercise, is known to stimulate browning of adipose tissue. Previous studies have revealed that women who had sustained osteoporotic fractures had lower levels of irisin than controls; this study investigated the effect of daily physical activity on serum irisin levels and explored the relationship between irisin levels, body composition and fracture prevalence.
Irisin serum levels were measured in 36 overweight postmenopausal women with X-ray evidence of at least one vertebral osteoporotic fracture and compared with the levels found in 36 control postmenopausal women with no sign of osteoporosis. Daily activity was measured using an armband worn for 72 h and bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and hip was measured using DXA scanning.
No relationship could be found between serum levels of irisin, BMD at any site, lean or fat mass, or daily activity. Irisin levels were significantly lower in the serum of women who had sustained an osteoporotic vertebral fracture, however (P=0.037). Significance was maintained even after adjusting for serum vitamin D levels, serum creatinine, and BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck.
Editor's comment: The study was limited by the small sample size and by the cross-sectional design. A positive correlation between irisin levels and some bone quality parameters (measured by high resolution peripheral quantitative CT) as reported previously, is promising.
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