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Premenopausal and postmenopausal changes in bone mineral density of the proximal femur measured by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry
Author(s) -
Ravn Pernille,
Hetland Merete Lund,
Overgaard Kirsten,
Christiansen Claus
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of bone and mineral research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.882
H-Index - 241
eISSN - 1523-4681
pISSN - 0884-0431
DOI - 10.1002/jbmr.5650091218
Subject(s) - bone mineral , dual energy x ray absorptiometry , medicine , femur , x ray , dual energy , osteoporosis , nuclear medicine , radiology , surgery , physics , optics
Total and regional bone mineral density (BMD) of the proximal femur was measured by DXA in 1238 healthy white women. In the 389 premenopausal women, aged 21‐54 years, no bone loss was observed before the menopause, except in the femoral neck and Ward's triangle, in which BMD decreased by 0.3%/year (SEE 0.2‐0.9%/year, p < 0.001) and 0.6%/year (SEE 0.4‐0.8%/year, p < 0.001), respectively. In the postmenopausal women aged 48‐75 years, there was a highly significant exponential decay in BMD with age and years since menopause (YSM) in all regions (‐0.58 < r < ‐0.48, p < 0.001). However, YSM was a better predictor of BMD than age. The decrease in BMD in the First 5 years postmenopause reached values of 9‐13%. The estimated bone loss after 20 years was 17‐30%, greatest in Ward's triangle and smallest in the intertrochanteric region. BMD correlated highly significantly with BMI (0.26 < r < 0.48, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present study indicates a stable premenopausal bone mass of the proximal femur and a postmenopausal bone loss, which is influenced mainly by YSM within the first 10‐15 years after menopause. BMD correlated with body mass index (BMI) in the postmenopausal years, confirming that low BMI constitutes a potential risk factor for osteoporosis.