Bone mineral density reference norms for Hong Kong Chinese

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics and Bone Health
• Population Health Studies
• Medical Imaging and Diagnostics

Background:

• Establishing accurate bone mineral density (BMD) reference norms is crucial for diagnosing osteoporosis.
• Previous studies often lacked sufficient sample size or focused on specific demographics, limiting generalizability.
• Utilizing standardized densitometry equipment is essential for reliable BMD measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish bone mineral density (BMD) reference norms for Hong Kong Chinese across a wide age range.
• To estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis in the Hong Kong Chinese population.
• To compare osteoporosis prevalence using local versus Caucasian reference values.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of 4,274 Hong Kong Chinese subjects (2,415 females, 1,859 males) aged 9-94 years.
• Utilized Hologic QDR 2000 and 4500 densitometers for bone mineral density measurements.
• Analyzed BMD changes across different age groups and genders, and calculated osteoporosis prevalence.

Main Results:

• BMD reference norms for Hong Kong Chinese were established, showing distinct patterns from Caucasian data.
• Osteoporosis prevalence was significantly overestimated using Caucasian cutoffs.
• Prevalence in Chinese individuals aged 50+ was 37% (spine) and 16% (hip) for women, and 7% (spine) and 6% (hip) for men.

Conclusions:

• Local BMD reference norms are essential for accurate osteoporosis diagnosis in Hong Kong Chinese.
• The prevalence of osteoporosis in Hong Kong Chinese differs from that in Caucasian populations.
• This study provides the largest dataset to date, offering reliable BMD values and prevalence estimates for this demographic.