Comparing bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with and without vertebral fracture and its value in recognizing high-risk individuals.

Vertebral fracture, the hallmark of osteoporosis, usually occurs in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD). The aim this study was to determine which BMD parameter can best predict women at high risk of fracture. BMD values at the spine and femoral neck were compared in 34 women with vertebral fracture and 34 controls. Mean BMD (g/cm2), T-score, and Z-score values at both femoral neck and spine were significantly lower in the fracture than the nonfracture group. Z-score was more sensitive than BMD T-score for detecting low bone mass. T-score was not sensitive enough to identify low BMD in the spine, whereas the femoral neck T-score could recognize women at high risk of fracture with higher accuracy.