Bone mineral density and uterine size. A practical relationship for climacteric women

Background: Double beam bone densitometry allows to select climacteric wome n who will benefit from hormone replacement. However, it is not always affo rdable in clinical practice. Aim. To study possible alternative markers of bone mineral density. Patients and methods: A retrospective survey of clima cteric women in whom bone mineral density was measured when hormone replace ment therapy was started. Eighty one women were studied and in 27, uterine size index was obtained from pelvic ultrasound examinations. Women with and without uterine size index measurements were analyzed separately. Relation ships of bone mineral density with age, lapse from menopause, body mass ind ex and uterine size index were sought. Results: There was a significant reg ression between the lapse in years from menopause and lumbar bone mineral d ensity in the group without uterine size index measurements (r(2)=0.228, AN OVA p=0.014). There was also a significant regression of lumbar bone minera l density with the uterine size index (r(2)=0.236, ANOVA p=0.01) in those w omen in whom this measurement was available. No other variables were associ ated with bone mineral density. Conclusion: In this group of patients, the lapse after menopause and uterine size index are predictors of lumbar bone mineral density (Rev Med Chile 2000; 128 :1127-31).