[Bone mineral density measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. A reference material from Oslo]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics and Bone Health
• Gerontology and Aging Research
• Population Health Studies

Context:

• Reduced bone mass is a primary risk factor for fractures.
• Accurate fracture risk assessment requires age- and sex-specific bone mineral density (BMD) reference values.
• Population-specific variations in bone mass and fracture incidence necessitate localized reference data.

Purpose:

• To establish population-specific bone mineral density (BMD) reference values for the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total body in the Oslo population.
• To investigate age- and sex-related changes in BMD.
• To evaluate the potential impact of using different reference materials on individual fracture risk calculations.

Summary:

• Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 225 women and 160 men (aged 20-80) from Oslo using Lunar DPX-1.
• Men exhibited higher BMD values than women. In women, bone loss accelerated after age 50 in the lumbar spine and total skeleton, with no significant menopausal effect on femoral neck BMD.
• While Oslo's BMD values closely resembled those from Sweden and Finland, minor discrepancies in mean values and standard deviations could significantly alter individual fracture risk assessments, particularly when using T-scores.

Impact:

• Provides essential, localized bone mineral density (BMD) reference data for the Oslo population, crucial for accurate fracture risk assessment.
• Highlights the importance of using population-specific reference values to avoid misclassification of fracture risk.
• Informs healthcare providers and manufacturers about potential inaccuracies in fracture risk prediction when relying on non-localized BMD data.