CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF AGE-RELATED PHALANGEAL BONELOSS IN ADULT FEMALES

To establish a comprehensive model for peripheral phalangeal bone loss , bone mass was studied in 1984 and 1989 using quantitative microdensi tometry (QMD) in a total of 330 healthy women (age range 43-78.7 years ). Bone mass and changes in bone mass were analyzed in relation to age and menopausal status. Ideal and nonideal populations were distinguis hed to assess the effect of diseases and medication. Both groups showe d a decrease in bone mass, which proved to be more dependent on menopa usal status than on age. A substantial loss started in the ideal group in the early postmenopausal period and in the nonideal group in the p remenopausal period. Because the nonideal group started to lose bone a t an earlier stage, the lifetime risk for osteoporosis is higher than in the ideal group.