[Changes in bone mass with age. Transversal study on a female population using photon densitometry]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Bone Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Context:

• Bone mineral content (BMC) is crucial for skeletal health and is known to change with age.
• Understanding age-related bone loss is vital for preventing osteoporosis and fractures.
• Distinguishing between cortical and trabecular bone's response to aging is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose:

• To evaluate age-related changes in bone mineral content (BMC) in clinically healthy women.
• To compare the aging patterns of cortical bone (radius) and trabecular bone (lumbar spine).
• To investigate the influence of body weight on BMC in different bone types.

Summary:

• This study assessed BMC in 281 women (20-80 years) using single photon absorptiometry (SPA) for cortical bone and dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) for trabecular bone.
• Trabecular BMC showed a cubic relationship with age, increasing until 31, decreasing to a minimum at 78, then a slight increase, with no accelerated loss post-menopause.
• Cortical BMC exhibited a quadratic pattern, increasing until 32, then decreasing, with significant loss after menopause. Body weight correlated positively with vertebral BMC but not cortical BMC.

Impact:

• Findings highlight distinct age-related behaviors of trabecular and cortical bone.
• The correlation between body weight and trabecular BMC suggests biomechanical factors influence bone mass modulation.
• This research provides insights into age-related bone density changes and potential therapeutic targets.