Early Menopause and Risk of Fractures-A Preventable Gap.

Area of Science:

• Bone health and osteoporosis research.
• Reproductive endocrinology and postmenopausal health.

Background:

• Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by reduced bone density and microarchitecture, leading to increased fracture risk.
• Menopause onset age and duration are potential factors influencing fracture incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the age of menopause onset and fracture risk.
• To evaluate the impact of menopause duration on fracture incidence in postmenopausal women.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 985 postmenopausal women (≥50 years) using medical records (2015-2018).
• Bone mineral densitometry and FRAX scores (major osteoporotic and hip fractures) were assessed.
• FRAX scores were compared based on age of menopause onset and duration.

Main Results:

• Women with menopause onset before age 45 had a significantly higher risk of hip fracture (OR: 1.652) and higher mean FRAX scores compared to those with later onset.
• A significant correlation was found between FRAX scores and menopause duration.
• The difference in FRAX scores was significant between the longest (over 20 years) and shortest (1-10 years) menopause duration groups (P<.001).

Conclusions:

• Menopause duration may contribute to fracture risk prediction.
• Age of menopause onset and duration should be considered for inclusion in fracture risk assessment tools like FRAX.