OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of amenorrhoea on bone mineral density in women of reproductive age. DESIGN: Cross sectional study of 200 amenorrhoeic women compared with normally menstruating controls. SETTING: Teaching hospital outpatient clinic specialising in reproductive medicine. SUBJECTS: 200 Women aged 16-40 with a past or current history of amenorrhoea from various causes and of a median duration of three years, and a control group of 57 age matched normal volunteers with no history of menstrual disorder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Bone mineral density in the lumbar spine (L1-L4) as measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The amenorrhoeic group showed a mean reduction in bone mineral density of 15% (95% confidence interval 12% to 18%) as compared with controls (mean bone mineral density 0.89 (SD 0.12) g/cm2 v 1.05 (0.09) g/cm2 in controls). Bone loss was related to the duration of amenorrhoea and the severity of oestrogen deficiency rather than to the underlying diagnosis. Patients with a history of fracture had significantly lower bone density than those without a history of fracture. Ten patients had suffered an apparently atraumatic fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Amenorrhoea in young women should be investigated and treated to prevent bone mineral loss. Menopausal women with a past history of amenorrhoea should be considered to be at high risk of osteoporosis.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of amenorrhoea on bone mineral density in women of reproductive age. DESIGN: Cross sectional study of 200 amenorrhoeic women compared with normally menstruating controls. SETTING: Teaching hospital outpatient clinic specialising in reproductive medicine. SUBJECTS: 200 Women aged 16-40 with a past or current history of amenorrhoea from various causes and of a median duration of three years, and a control group of 57 age matched normal volunteers with no history of menstrual disorder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Bone mineral density in the lumbar spine (L1-L4) as measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The amenorrhoeic group showed a mean reduction in bone mineral density of 15% (95% confidence interval 12% to 18%) as compared with controls (mean bone mineral density 0.89 (SD 0.12) g/cm2 v 1.05 (0.09) g/cm2 in controls). Bone loss was related to the duration of amenorrhoea and the severity of oestrogen deficiency rather than to the underlying diagnosis. Patients with a history of fracture had significantly lower bone density than those without a history of fracture. Ten patients had suffered an apparently atraumatic fracture. CONCLUSIONS:Amenorrhoea in young women should be investigated and treated to prevent bone mineral loss. Menopausal women with a past history of amenorrhoea should be considered to be at high risk of osteoporosis.
Authors: E J Waugh; M-A Lam; G A Hawker; J McGowan; A Papaioannou; A M Cheung; A B Hodsman; W D Leslie; K Siminoski; S A Jamal Journal: Osteoporos Int Date: 2008-06-04 Impact factor: 4.507
Authors: N Ortego-Centeno; M Muñoz-Torres; J Hernandez-Quero; A Jurado-Duce; J de la Higuera Torres-Puchol Journal: Calcif Tissue Int Date: 1994-12 Impact factor: 4.333
Authors: Vaishali B Popat; Karim A Calis; Vien H Vanderhoof; Giovanni Cizza; James C Reynolds; Nancy Sebring; James F Troendle; Lawrence M Nelson Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2009-04-28 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Robyn S Mehlenbeck; Kenneth D Ward; Robert C Klesges; Christopher M Vukadinovich Journal: Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab Date: 2004-02 Impact factor: 4.599