A comparison of bone mineral density between Caucasian, Asian and Afro-Caribbean women
Clincal Science
; 87(5): 587-91, 1994.
Article
in English
| MedCarib
| ID: med-4780
Responsible library:
JM3.1
Localization: JM3.1; Reprint Collection
ABSTRACT
We analysed the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck bone mineral density results of Caucasian (n=2232), Asian (Indian sub-continent) (n=153) and Afro-Caribbean (n=102) women referred for bone densitomery over a 30 month period. To assess the risk of osteoporisis, the result of Caucasian and Asian Women were compared with those of a reference Caucasian population supplied by Lunar. Subject characteristics were similar in all three groups, other than expected ethnic differences in stature and weight. We found that lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density in Caucasians was lower than in Afro-Caribbeans, but higher than in Asians. Consistent with this, bone mineral density was also lower in Asians as compared with the reference Caucasian population, a higher proportion of Asian women were classified as being at increased risk of osteoporosis than Caucasian women. Since ethnic differences in skeletal size might influence bone mineral density, we also obtained values for bone mineral content in Caucasian and Asian women that were corrected for projected skeletal area, and weight and years since menopause, using regression equations derived from the Caucasian study population. After this analysis, the difference in bone mineral content between Caucasian and Asians at the lumbar spine disappeared, while that at the femoral neck persisted. We conclude that the assessment of risk of osteoporosis in Asian women by comparing bone mineral density with a reference Caucasian population may have limited validity because of the influence of skeletal size on such measurements (AU)
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Collection:
International databases
Database:
MedCarib
Main subject:
Ethnicity
/
Bone Density
/
Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged, 80 and over
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Clincal Science
Year:
1994
Document type:
Article