Ch. Sogaard et al., SPINE DEFORMITY INDEX IN OSTEOPOROTIC WOMEN - RELATIONS TO FOREARM AND VERTEBRAL BONE-MINERAL MEASUREMENTS AND TO ILIAC CREST ASH DENSITY, Osteoporosis international, 4(4), 1994, pp. 211-219
Bone densitometric measurements are widely used for monitoring therape
utic regimens for osteoporosis. However, it is a matter of debate whic
h measurement site is most appropriate for prediction of individual fr
acture risk. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate
the relationship between bone mineral measurements at various sites an
d spine deformity index (SDI) in osteoporotic women. The SDI was deter
mined in 37 osteoporotic women aged 56-87 years (mean 70.9 years). Per
ipheral (single-photon absorptiometry of the distal forearm, and iliac
crest ash content) and axial (dual-photon absorptiometry of the lumba
r spine) bone mass measurements were obtained. SDI increased with age
(r=0.34, p<0.05), whereas forearm BMC (r=-0.52, p<0.002) and forearm B
MD (r=-0.62, p<0.0001) decreased. No significant age-related changes w
ere observed in lumbar BMC or iliac crest ash content in these osteopo
rotic women. A highly significant correlation was found between SDI an
d lumbar BMC (r= -0.60, p<0.01). A significant, but less pronounced co
rrelation was found between SDI and forearm BMC (r= -0.37, p<0.05), wh
ereas no relation was revealed between SDI and forearm BMD or iliac cr
est ash content. In a multiple regression model, the relationship betw
een lumbar BMC and SDI remained significant after adjusting for the in
fluence of age, whereas the relationship to forearm BMC disappeared. F
urthermore, a multiple regression analysis was performed in order to e
valuate the ability of all four bone mass measurements and age to pred
ict variations in SDI. Lumbar BMC was the single significant predictor
of SDI in this model (r=-0.68, p<0.01). This study indicates that the
risk of vertebral fracture is best estimated by bone mass determined
in the spine.