Tibial ultrasound velocity in normal and hip fracture women

Ultrasound (US) velocity of the midtibial cortical bone (tibial ultrasound velocity) has been determined in osteoporosis screening. To determine the d iagnostic sensitivity of this method, we measured 56 women with a recent at raumatic hip fracture (age: 76.6 +/- 7.4 yr of age; weight: 59.9 +/- 9.5 kg ; height: 155.7 +/- 7.1 cm) and 40 age-matched controls (74.5 +/- 5.8 yr; w eight: 60.7 +/- 5.9; height: 155.5 +/- 4.0 cm). The interval between hip fr acture and bone mass measurement was 8 +/- 5 d. Patients with hip fractures had significantly lower tibial US velocity valu es compared to age-matched controls (3684 +/- 177 vs 3804 +/- 87 m/s; p < 0 .001). Tibial ultrasound velocity correlated significantly with age in hip fracture patients (r = -0.37; p < 0.005) and in controls (r = -0.61; p < 0. 001). When the population studied was divided in two groups above and below 75 yr of age, the difference was only significant in women above 75 yr (hi p fracture vs controls: <75 yr: 3756 +/- 137 vs 3823 +/- 89 m/s; p.n.s.; >7 5 yr: 3645 +/- 186 vs 3760 +/- 72 m/s; p < 0.01). Patients with trochanteri c fractures had significantly lower tibial US velocity values than those wi th cervical (3592 +/- 171 vs 3786 +/- 117 m/s; p < 0.001). In turn, the tib ial US velocity of cervical fractures was similar controls. In conclusion, tibial US velocity decreased with age and showed lower value s in hip fracture women than controls, but the difference appears to be sig nificant only in older patients or in patients with trochanteric fractures.