Maintenance of bone density: Outcomes over five years of attendance at an osteoporosis center

Background. This is a longitudinal analysis of the data from women who visi ted the Osteoporosis Prevention Center for at least five years. The study i s part of an ongoing evaluation of the results of the Center visits. Methods. A random sample of 100 women who had attended the clinic for more than five years and were not referred for a definite medical diagnosis was pulled from the records. Descriptive statistics were compiled on this sampl e. Seventy-five women were postmenopausal and over 49 years of age. This su bgroup was studied for change in bone mineral density (BMD) over the five y ears. Results. The BMD change was 0.03 gm/cm(2) in the spine, -0.01 gm/cm(2) in t he femoral-neck, and -0.008 gm/cm(2) at the radius over the five years. Conclusion. Attendance at the Osteoporosis Prevention Center was associated with maintenance of bone density in the spine over a five-year period.