Bone mass in women with hip fractures.

Bone mass was measured by single photon absoptiometry in 52 women with hip fractures and compared to controls of similar age. No difference in the forearm bone mineral content (BMC) was detectable between the groups. Extracapsular fractures had lower forearm BMC than intracapsular fractures, but these differences were eliminated by allowance for age. Clinical management therefore was not influenced by such measurements.