Markers of autoimmune liver diseases in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

introduction: osteoporosis is a common complication of chronic liver diseases. however, there is limited information about autoimmune liver diseases as a factor of secondary osteoporosis. therefore, we aimed to investigate the autoantibodies of autoimmune liver diseases in patients with osteoporosis. methods: one hundred fifty female patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis were included. bone mineral density was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. we analysized autoantibodies including antinuclear antibodies, liver membrane antibodies, anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1, liver-specific protein, antismooth muscle antibodies, and anti-mitochondrial antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence. serum was assayed for the levels of aminotransferases. results: the mean age of the patients was 63,13±8,6 years. the mean values of l1-l4 t-scores and femur total t-scores were -3,08±0,58 and -1,53±0,81, respectively. among the 150 patients with osteoporosis, 14 (9.3%) were antinuclear antibodies, four (2.7%) were liver membrane antibodies, three (2.0%) were anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1, and two (1.3%) were liver-specific protein positive. none of the patients had anti-mitochondrial antibodies or smooth muscle antibodies positivity. the mean values of levels of aminotransferases were within normal range. conclusions: the presence of liver membrane antibodies, liver-specific protein, and anti-liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies1 has permitted us to see that there may be some suspicious clues of autoimmune liver diseases in patients with osteoporosis as a secondary risk factor. on the other hand, there is a need for comprehensive studies with a larger sample size and studies designed to compare the results with a normal population to understand the clinical importance of our findings.