Associations of Serum Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein with Body Composition and Hematological Inflammatory Indices in Postmenopausal Women

In the postmenopausal period, a decrease in sex hormone levels may alter body composition and can predispose individuals to increased body fat and musculoskeletal tissue degeneration, including a deterioration in the articular cartilage. The aim of the study was to assess the resting serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) concentrations in postmenopausal women with different body mass indexes (BMIs) and how COMP correlates with both lean and fat mass as well as with blood count-derived inflammatory markers. Thirty-three postmenopausal women were included in the study. Total fat and lean body mass were measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood serum concentrations of COMP and adiponectin were assessed, and lymphocyte, monocyte and granulocyte counts were determined. The lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and granulocyte-to-lymphocyte (GLR) ratios were calculated. The analysis of differences in body mass, BMI, lean body mass, fat mass, and android (p ≤ 0.01) and gynoid fat mass (p < 0.05) revealed significantly lower values in the group of women with a normal BMI compared to the group with a BMI above the normal range. In the group of women with a normal BMI, a significant relationship was noted between COMP and lean body mass (p ≤ 0.01). In the group of women with a BMI above the normal range, a significant positive correlation of COMP with LMR (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation with GLR (p < 0.05) were observed. The significant associations between resting serum COMP levels and lean body mass and inflammatory markers, which varied according to BMI categories, suggest that body composition may be an important factor to consider when using COMP for diagnostic purposes.