Bone mineral content of women with uterine fibromyomas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the bone mineral content (BMC) of women suffering from fibroids is different from that of the reference population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional retrospective study.


METHODS
Fifty-nine women suffering from fibroids, compared to the reference population.


METHODS
BMC was measured at the vertebral L2-L4 site (BMC-1) and at the midradius site (BMC-r).


RESULTS
The patients with fibroids exhibited no significant difference in BMC-r).


RESULTS
The patients with fibroids exhibited no significant difference in BMC-r, but had a significantly higher (P < or = .001) BMC-1 than the reference population.


CONCLUSIONS
Since BMC-1 is mainly constituted by trabecular bone and BMC-r by cortical bone, and since trabecular bone is more sensitive to estrogens than cortical bone, it is suggested that a hyper-estrogenic state co-existing with fibroids may induce a slight protective factor against osteoporosis of the vertebral skeleton.
Obstetrics Department, Free Universities of Brussels (VUB-ULB) Hôpital Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium.
S
S
Rozenberg
H
H
Ham
A
A
Peretz
C
C
Robyn
M
M
Degueldre
D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D004967:Estrogens