Efectos del tabaquismo sobre los niveles plasmáticos de osteoprotegerina en adultos jóvenes sanos

While tobacco smoke is a known risk factor for osteoporosis, the mechanisms that produce this association must still elucidated. Several previous studies have evaluated the variations in serum levels of osteoprotegerin, a cytokine that regulates osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in smokers, however, the results have been inconclusive. This study, which makes an analysis of serum levels of osteoprotegerin in a group of 49 healthy young volunteers, did not find any influence of smoking on this parameter. There were also no differences following adjustment for baseline differences in estrone in men and for age and calcium intake in women. In conclusion, tobacco smoking does not seem to influence osteoprotegerin serum levels in healthy young volunteers.