OSTEOPOROSIS RISK IN WOMEN WITH BREAST VASCULAR CALCIFICATIONS REVEALED AT MAMMOGRAPHY

Abstract. Introduction. Calcium salt deposits in the breast vessel walls can share the mutual mechanisms compared to the ones of bone tissue mineralization mediated by the osteoprotegerin or receptors of the protein glycation end products. Aim: To assess the risk of osteoporosis or other mineral turnover disturbances in women with breast vascular calcifications found on mammography. Materials and Methods. Our study included 189 female patients who underwent mammography in 2018 and then were followed up to the year 2023. They were divided into the three groups: No calcifications group, moderate (grade 1-2) calcifications group, and pronounced (grade 3-4) calcifications group. All the patients underwent screening mammography, the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and serum biochemistry tests (25-hydroxyvitamin D, total and ionized calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium). Results and Discussion. In 2018, 57 (30.16%) patients had breast vascular calcifications. The increased calcification degree was associated with the age. The most significant changes were found in TBS T-score values: In the moderate calcifications group, it was 27.5% lower compared to the no calcifications group (p=0.042); while in the pronounced calcifications group, it was 41.7% lower compared to the no calcifications group (p=0.007). Conclusions. Breast vascular calcifications are associated with the significant drop of TBS T-score values (from -2.31 to -3.97; р=0.008).