Osteoprotegerin and Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Populations: Meta-Analysis of 19 Prospective Studies Involving 27450 Participants

Background Osteoprotegerin is a cytokine involved in bone metabolism as well as vascular calcification and atherogenesis. Although circulating osteoprotegerin levels are robustly associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population, its relevance as a biomarker among populations at high CVD risk is less clear. Methods and Results Three independent reviewers systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science to identify prospective studies that had recruited participants on the basis of having conditions related to high CVD risk. A total of 19 studies were eligible for inclusion, reporting on 27 450 patients with diabetes mellitus (2 studies), kidney diseas…