Osteoarthrosis retards the development of osteoporosis. Observation of the coexistence of osteoarthrosis and osteoporosis.

The clinical, roentgenographic, and biochemical features of the dorsal and lumbar spine were reviewed in 72 postmenopausal women. Nineteen women had both osteoporosis (vertebral collapse) and osteoarthrosis. These patients were compared with 26 patients who had only osteoarthrosis of the spine and 27 who had only vertebral collapse. The patients who had both spinal osteoporosis and osteoarthrosis were older, more advanced in menopause, and physically smaller in stature and body weight than the other groups. They also had higher serum parathyroid hormone level, used nonthiazide diuretics more frequently, and had more nulliparity than the other two groups. These patients had osteoarthrosis of the hip to a lesser degree than patients affected by osteoarthrosis alone, and they had fewer fractures of the forearm and other sites than patients with osteoporosis alone. The incidence of femoral neck fractures in both groups, however, was comparable. These results suggest that osteoarthrosis or a related factor might have a protective effect on the progression of osteoporosis. These results confirm earlier observations that postmenopausal osteoporosis and osteoarthrosis are two distinct diseases and not the result of normal aging.