The magnitude of low bone mineral [corrected] density in middle and old age women

To describe the frequency of low Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Middle to old aged women from two teaching hospitals of Peshawar were included in the study. They were divided into four age groups, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years and 70 years and above. There was no history of any drug use for bone loss. BMD was measured at the heel by ultrasonography and main outcome measures were in the form of baseline T-Scores.

Of the 608 women studied, 35.03% were in the age group 40-49 years, 34.87% in 50-59 years, 22.7% in 60-69 years and 7.4% were 70 years or older. Using WHO criteria, 35.36% of women had osteopenia (T-Score-1 to-2.49) and 12.01% had osteoporosis (T-Square < -2.5). The frequency of decreased BMD increased significantly with increasing age (P<0.000). Osteoporosis was present in 9.59% in the age group of 40-49 years, and it increased to 36.99% in patients aged 60-69 years and 23.29% in age group of 70 years and above. Within a single age group the number of women with osteopenia and osteoporosis was significantly high e.g. in age group of 70 years and above only 20% of subjects had normal BMD whereas 80% had low BMD.

Almost half of the sample population had decreased BMD. Peri and postmenopausal women constitute a high-risk group for osteoporosis and future fractures.