Menopause leads to rapid bone loss, mainly as a result of estrogen def
iciency superimposed on the age-related linear bone loss. The influenc
e of age at menopause on bone loss is unclear, although early menopaus
e is widely considered a risk factor for osteoporosis. Vertebral bone
mineral density (BMD) was measured in 1667 women divided into five gro
ups according to hormonal status and age at menopause. Menopausal stat
us was an independent predictor of BMD in a multiregression analysis,
along with current age, years since menopause (YSM), weight, and heigh
t. For the same chronologic age (55 years), women with early menopause
had a 15% lower BMD and a higher YSM than women whose menopause occur
red later (''normal'' menopause). After adjusting for the interval sin
ce menopause, postmenopausal women with early menopause were found to
have lower vertebral BMD than postmenopausal women with normal menopau
se. Finally, after the age of 60, 66% of the women with early menopaus
e had a BMD that was below the fracture threshold compared to 18% of t
he women with normal menopause. The results of this cross-sectional st
udy suggest that early menopause is associated with a quantitatively h
igher bone loss than in women with menopause of later onset and thus c
onstitutes a risk factor for osteoporosis;