Alcoholism-associated spinal and femoral bone loss in abstinent male alcoholics, as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry.
Although alcoholism is a known risk factor for osteoporosis, there are few published reports on alcoholism-associated bone loss. To study alcoholism-associated bone loss, this study used a dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) densitometer to measure lumbar and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) in a previously little-studied population: 32 relatively healthy, nonhospitalized, Caucasian, alcoholic men with a period of abstinence longer than that previously studied (median abstinence 4.0 months, range 3 days-36 months). DXA is a new, highly precise densitometric method with many advantages over the methods used in previous studies. The subjects had statistically significant bone loss at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and Ward's triangle (multiple correction adjusted two-tailed P < 0.008). Compared to the mean BMD of sex-, age-, and race-matched norms, the subjects' average femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and lumbar BMDs were, respectively, 0.56, 0.69, and 0.57 standard deviations (SDs) below the normative values.
Chon
K S
KS
School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla.
Sartoris
D J
DJ
Brown
S A
SA
Clopton
P
P
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000863:Antacids / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D005269:Femur / Q000737:chemistry*; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000737:chemistry; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D013695:Temperance
D000863:Antacids; D000535:Aluminum