Bone Mineral Status of Postmenopausal Turkish Women

Authors: Neslihan Carda SEÇKiN, Atike Bilge SENER, Oya GÖKMEN, İclal ÇETİNDAĞ, Gülnur ÖZAKŞİT

Abstract: In order to determine the prevalence of low bone mineral density in postmenopausal Turkish women, the measurements for the bone mineral densities were determined in 1000 patients with a dual energy X-ray absorbsiometer. The effects of various factors on bone mineral density were also evaluated. The mean age and the duration of menopause were 52.4±5.8 and 5.1±4.7. The prevalence of low bone density was 40.7 %. The mean bone mineral density values of the patients which who previously used oral contraceptives or had hormone replacement therapy of any type at present or in the past were significantly higher than those of the patients which have not received these agents (p<0.01 and p=0.000, respectively). Additional diseases, drug use and smoking negatively affected the bone mineral density and the mean values were significantly lower in the patients, which have at least one of these factors (p<0.01, and <0.05, respectively). Our study revealed that osteoporosis was a threatening problem for Turkish women especially for subjects living urban in area. Because risk factors may not always provide enough information about bone status we concluded that the measurement of the bone mineral density had to be part of a general screening for osteporosis in postmenapausal Turkish women.

Keywords: Bone mineral density, menopause, osteoporosis