Premature hair greying may predict reduced bone mineral density in Graves' disease

Premature hair greying has been associated with low bone mineral density (BMD), and it may be more frequent in Graves' disease.

To determine whether premature greying is associated with reduced BMD in women with Graves' disease and in control women, and to examine whether premature greying is more common in Graves' disease.

Premature greying (> 50% grey by 40 years) and BMD were determined in 44 women with a history of Graves' disease and 133 female controls referred for routine BMD measurement. Exclusion criteria included diseases or drugs known to affect BMD.

Mean Z and T scores at the lumbar spine were significantly lower (P < 0.04) in subjects with premature greying than in those not prematurely grey among women with Graves' disease, but not among control women. Multiple regression confirmed this difference between Graves' and control women (P = 0.041). There were no differences at other measurement sites. Of Graves' patients, 36% were prematurely grey compared with 25% of control women (P = 0.14).

Premature greying may be a weak marker for reduced BMD in women with a history of Graves' disease, but it is not a marker in normal women.