Women with past history of bone fracture have low spinal bone density before menopause

Recent work from our laboratory has demonstrated that young girls with bone fractures have low spinal bone density more often than girls who have never fractured. This study was undertaken to determine whether adult women approaching menopause who have any past history of fracture have lower spinal density than women who have never fractured.

A lifetime fracture history was taken from all premenopausal women (n = 59) enrolled in a clinical trial examining the effect of menopause on cardiac risk. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was measured at study entry by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (Lunar DPX-L) and results from patients with and without fracture were compared.

Women with a previous history of fracture (n = 23) had significantly lower bone density (6% less) than the women who had never broken a bone (n = 36).

We conclude that women who report a previous history of fracture, either as young adults or in childhood, should be targeted for perimenopausal screening for osteoporosis since they are likely to have lower bone density and a greater risk of future fracture than women with no past history of fracture.