Cortical bone mass and risk factors for osteoporosis among postmenopausal women in our environment

Objective. To evaluate the relevance of the so called risk factors for oste oporosis among women. Materials and methods. A total of 150 consecutive postmenopausal women who had been enrolled in the gynecology outpatient clinics of the Health Areas affiliated to the Alcala de Henares University Hospital. Bone mass of these women was calculated as index of metacarpal cortical area/total area (CA/T A) (mm(2)), measured by radiogrammetry, Results. With the ANOVA test, a late menarchial age and a shorter reproduct ive life induced a lower bone mass (p < 0.0005 and < 0.05, respectively); a lso, a history of bone fractures without previous relevant trauma (p < 0.05 ) was obtained. By correlational studies, there was a negative significance between CA/TA index and chronological age, menarchial age, menopausal age and number of fractures (r = -0.20 to -0.30; p < 0.05 to < 0.0001) and a po sitive significance with years of reproductive life (r = 0.17; p < 0.05). T hese values virtually remain unchanged when with partial correlation are we ight adjusted, but with the multiple regression model, the CA/TA index is n egatively significant only with menopause years (D < 0.005). Taking the ave rage of the metacarpal CA/TA index as value, a sensitivity of 50% and an sp ecificity of 78% were obtained to indicate fractures and a negative predict ive value of 92%. Conclusion. These results indicate the greater importance of menarchial age , of reproductive life years and therefore of menopausal years, as determin ants of postmenopausal bone mass and show a very acceptable specificity of the CA/TA index as predictive for bone fracture.