Bone mineral density in the distal radius in a healthy Japanese populationand in relation to fractures of the distal radius

Changes in bone mineral density with age were measured in the distal radius of healthy adults using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, A total of 2789 healthy women (20-95 years old) and 1255 healthy men (20-87 years old), and 72 women (52-94 years old) and 23 men (51-79 years old) with fractures of the distal radius were assessed. Bone mineral density remains relatively st able in men despite aging, and was significantly higher than in women in ev ery decade. In women aged 70 years and more, the bone mineral density a as significantly lower in the fracture group than the non-fracture group. In m en with fractures of the distal radius, there were no significant differenc es between bone mineral density and age. In the fracture groups loss of rad ial inclination after reduction correlated with decreased bone mineral dens ity, but there was no significant regression between bone mineral density a nd the decrease in radial length or palmer tilt.