BONE MASS AND RISK-FACTORS FOR BONE LOSS IN PERIMENOPAUSAL DANISH WOMEN

Brot C, Jensen LB, Sorensen OH (Copenhagen Municipal Hospital, Copenha gen, Denmark). Bone mass and risk factors for bone loss in perimenopau sal Danish women. J Intern Med 1997; 242: 505-511. Objectives. To dete rmine risk factors for low bone mass at menopause and risk factors for subsequent bone loss in the following period. Design. A cross-section al study and a 2-year prospective follow-up. Setting. The catchment ar ea of Sundby Hospital in Copenhagen. Subjects. Four hundred and thirty -three women aged 45-58 years, with amenorrhea for 3-24 months, of who m 87 were followed for a 2-year period. Measurements. Registration of life-style and anthropometric variables, reproductive history, and fam ily history of fractures. Total body bone mineral content (BMC) was me asured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results. By means of mul tiple regression analysis height, body weight, and length of reproduct ive period were found to be positively related to whole body BMC (P < 0.001), whilst a negative relationship was found to age (P < 0.001), s moking (P < 0.001), and family history of fractures (P < 0.005). In th e longitudinal study, only body weight at the inclusion (P = 0.005) an d subsequent changes in body weight and fat mass (P < 0.001) were rela ted to the changes in bone mass. Conclusion. The most significant pred ictors for bone loss were changes in body weight and fat mass. Hence, weight loss is a risk factor for bone loss in the early postmenopausal period, whereas weight gain seems to preserve bone.