Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is known to be a systemic inflammatory disease which affects the function of many organs, and the low bone mineral density (BMD) may be the result of systemic inflammation.

The aim of the present study was to explore the association of BMD with systemic inflammation in patients with clinically stable COPD. BMD and inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined in all the recruited patients with clinically stable COPD. The patients were classified according to T scores, and the relationship between BMD with markers of systemic inflammation and that with other osteoporosis risk factors was assessed. There were no differences in age, femal...