RESUMEN
To examine the influence of the duration of menopause on bone loss, 60 healthy women, aged 34~74 years in 1995 were studied. After exclusion of past or present hormonal replacement therapy or past history of chronic disease, 60 women formed the final study population. Bone masses were measured at 3 sited of femur(femoral neck, Wards triangle and trochanter) and in the L2~L4 lumbar spine by Dual energy X-ray bone densitometry(DEXA). Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the relationships of gynecological variables(age, body mass index:BMI), and years since menopause(YSM) with bone mineral density(BMD) of lumbar spin and the three different sites of femur. The coefficients of correlation(r) of the bone mineral density(%) at the lumbar spine and the three different sites of femur with YSM were ranged -0.37~-0.48(p < 0.01). Only YSM was independently related to BMD(%) data at all sites, except Wards triangle by multiple linear regression analysis(p < 0.01). In conclusion, the menopause and the duration of menopause have a great effect on bone mineral loss.