[Evaluation of osteoporosis associated with menopause and oophorectomy by microdensitometry]

Osteoporosis is one of the diseases affecting the elderly that is receiving increasing attention. The present study employed microdensitometry (MD) to evaluate osteoporosis in a relatively younger group of persons aged less than 60. The relationship of this disease to menopause or a history of oophorectomy was also studied. Of 149 cases, this condition was recognized in 33 (22.1%), demonstrating the effectiveness of the MD method. Of 41 premenopausal subjects, osteoporosis was recognized in 8, (19.5%), as compared to 5 of 36 postmenopausal subjects (13.9%), suggesting that the prevalence of this condition was also low in the postmenopausal group and thus suggesting that the menopause was not necessarily a point of importance in the development of this condition. Furthermore the condition was recognized in 20 of 72 cases (27.8%) with a history of total oophorectomy, showing a higher rate than in either the premenopausal or postmenopausal groups. In addition a direct correlation was recognized between the prevalence of osteoporosis and the period since total oophorectomy. These results suggested a strong relationship between total oophorectomy and the occurrence of osteoporosis.