Approved Research

Relationship of Systematic Chronic Inflammation with Fracture and Bone Mineral Density

Lay summary

Fracture is a significant public health issue that affects people's health, quality of life, and puts a strain on society and finances. Research has shown that long-term inflammation in the body can disrupt the balance of bone health and increase the risk of fractures. However, there is a lack of high-quality clinical studies in this area. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how long-term inflammation relates to fractures and bone mineral density. The study will focus on the following objectives: (1) Examining the association between markers of long-term inflammation and the risk of fractures and bone mineral density in a large group of people using traditional epidemiological research methods. (2) Estimating the causal relationship between markers of long-term inflammation and the risk of fractures and bone mineral density using a new research design called Mendelian Randomization. (3) Developing and validating a genetic risk score of long-term inflammation and assessing its potential for predicting fracture risk.  (4) Investigating the role of long-term inflammation in the relationship between environmental factors (such as air pollution, smoking, drinking, and lifestyle) and fracture risk. This research has the potential to enhance our understanding of the reasons behind fracture risk and identify potential targets for reducing fractures among high risk individuals. The study will span over a period of 3 years and will require access to data from the baseline visit and follow-up data on fractures from a cohort of 500,000 participants to conduct accurate analyses.