{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,17]],"date-time":"2026-07-17T16:22:01Z","timestamp":1784305321498,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]],"date-time":"2025-06-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749168000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Estrogen deficiency is strongly related to osteoporosis, but its role in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly in postmenopausal women, is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between osteopenia and subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic non-diabetic postmenopausal women. Methods: This prospective study included 117 consecutive postmenopausal women (mean age 59 \u00b1 7 years) referred from the outpatient Rheumatology Clinic of the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, recruited between September 2021 and December 2022. Clinical, biochemical, bone mineral density (BMD), carotid ultrasound and coronary CT angiography data were analyzed. Subclinical atherosclerosis was diagnosed as the presence of carotid plaques and\/or increased intima-media thickness (CIMT) &gt; 1.0 mm. Results: Of the 117 studied women, 83 (71%) had osteopenia or osteoporosis (T-score &lt; \u22121 SD), who had higher prevalence of carotid artery plaques (27.7 vs. 8.8%, p = 0.019), compared to those with normal BMD. They were, also, older (p &lt; 0.001), had a longer duration of menopause (p = 0.004) and higher CAC scores (p &lt; 0.019), compared to those without plaques. In multivariate analysis [odds ratio 95% confidence interval], age [1.244 (1.052\u20131.470), p = 0.001], osteoporosis [0.197 (0.048\u20130.806), p = 0.024] and CAC score &gt; 10 HU [0.174 (0.058\u20130.806), p = 0.006] were independently associated with the presence of carotid plaques. Conclusions: Reduced BMD is highly prevalent in asymptomatic non-diabetic postmenopausal women and is associated with a high prevalence of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Age, osteoporosis and CAC score &gt; 10 HU were independently associated with atherosclerotic carotid plaque formation. These findings highlight the potential pathophysiological link between osteoporosis and subclinical atherosclerosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14124033","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]],"date-time":"2025-06-06T12:58:21Z","timestamp":1749214701000},"page":"4033","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Decreased Bone Mineral Density Is Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Non-Diabetic Postmenopausal Women"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Jehona","family":"Ismaili","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Rheumatology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-3454-0847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Afrim","family":"Poniku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1153-9872","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Venera","family":"Berisha-Muharremi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Clinic of Endocrinology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Arlind","family":"Batalli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rina","family":"Tafarshiku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Clinic of Endocrinology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6089-5614","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael Y.","family":"Henein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK"},{"name":"Siena University, 53100 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0410-968X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gani","family":"Bajraktari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo"},{"name":"Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Ume\u00e5 University, 90187 Ume\u00e5, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e146","DOI":"10.1161\/CIR.0000000000000485","article-title":"Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics\u20192017 Update: A Report from the American Heart Association; 2017","volume":"135","author":"Benjamin","year":"2017","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1161","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjcard.2018.06.039","article-title":"Serial Studies in Subclinical Atherosclerosis During Menopausal Transition (from the Study of Women\u2019s Health Across the Nation)","volume":"122","author":"Khan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am. 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