Bone mineral density measurements of distal radius in Saudi Arabia females

ABSTRACT

A survey using Gammadensit x-ray bone mineralometer was conducted on 150 Saudi Arabian postmenopausal [PM] females and on another group of 150 females of menstruating age of around 30 years as the group with peak bone mass [PBM]. The minimum age in the PM group was 44 years and maximum was 71 years [mean 54.08 years], SD +/- 7.02, whereas for the PBM group, the mean age was 29.15 years [range 24 to 33]. The bone mineral density [BMD] for the PM group was 0.310 g/cm [2] minimum and the maximum was 0.546 g/cm [2] [mean 0.440 g/cm [2]]. In the PBM group, the mean BMD was 0.660 g/cm [2]. Compared to Western females, the PM group BMD was 21% lower and the Saudi PBM group was 29% higher than in Western females of the same age and sex. The BMD of rural Saudi females was 0.479 g/cm [2] as compared to 0.359 g/cm [2] in the urban population. In females who had borne more than 10 children, the BMD was 0.483 g/cm [2], and was 0.354 g/cm [2] in females who had fewer than five children. There was no statistical significance in rural versus urban and 10 children [P value was < 0.18 and < 0.13]. This study concludes that BMD of the PM Saudi females is lower than that of the Western females of the same age, making them more osteoporotic with a higher risk of osteoporotic-related fractures