BONE-DENSITY IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective. To evaluate the impact of endometriosis on bone metabolism. Materials and methods. We compared bone mineral density and biochemic al markers (plasma osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase, fasting uri nary hydroxyproline, urinary excretion of cross-linked N-telopeptide o f type I collagen) of bone turnover in forty-nine perimenopausal women undergoing laparotomy because of benign gynecologic pathology: in twe nty-four of them (group A) endometriosis was diagnosed, the remaining twenty-five represented the control group (group B), Statistical analy sis was perfomed by means of Student ''t''-test; significance was set at p<0.05, Results, Bone density of the lumbar spine (0.898+/-0.325 vs 0.930+/-0.350) and bone markers failed to show statistically signific ant differences between the two groups, No significant correlation was observed between any bone density measurement and severity of endomet riosis, Conclusion. Endometriosis does not seem to induce even in adva nced stages, a reduction of bone density.