Relationship between kyphosis, scoliosis, and osteoporosis in the elderly population.

In 56 valid subjects 60 years old or more, bone mineral content (BMC) of the second, third, and fourth lumbar vertebrae and of femoral neck was measured by dual-photon absorptiometry. Dorsal kyphosis and lumbar and dorso-lumbar scoliosis were determined from radiographs using the Cobb methods. Kyphosis was positively correlated with low BMC but not with scoliosis. Scoliosis was positively correlated with femoral neck BMC but not with vertebral BMC.

[Evaluation by biphotonic absorptiometry of bone mineral content and determination of the fracture threshold in a population of patients 60 to 75 years old]. / Appréciation par absorptiométrie biphotonique du contenu minéral osseux et détermination du seuil fracturaire dans une population de sujets de 60 à 75 ans.

A measurement of the bony density of vertebrae and femur was carried out, in the course of a prospective study, in 99 patients between the ages of 60 and 75 years, living in northern France. 76 patients had no recognized problem of demineralization and 23 others were consulting for an evaluation of vertebral compression. The measurement of the bony density was done by biphotonic absorptiometry with a source of labelled Gadolinium. In women, a significant difference in the values obtained by absorptiometry in terms of the existence of vertebral compressions, symptomatic or not, is noted. A statistical study using the ROC curves method (Receiver Operating System) has enabled us to determine a threshold of high risk of vertebral fracture measured at 31 g or 0.85 g/cm2 in women, and 35 g or 0.85 g/cm2 in men. In addition, there is a significant correlation with the vertebral radiographical index as defined by Meunier. Among the various factors of influence which were studied, only the size and the morphotype seem to play an essential role in our study group. The comparative study of the densities measured in the femoral neck and the lumbar spine enabled us to find a very significant correlation in patients with as well as without compression (r = 0.714, p less than 0.001). Biphotonic absorptiometry proves therefore to be a method which may be used to define a group with a high fracture risk permitting to determine, as early as possible, therapeutic, curative and preventive measures.