Osteopenia in female beta-thalassemic patients.
Sixty-four women with thalassemia major aged 13-28 years were studied. 49 patients had primary amenorrhea and 15 had secondary amenorrhea. Bone density of the spine was performed using lunar DPX. The Z score was used to evaluate the degree of osteopenia. In 82% of the patients a Z score less than -2 was found. BMD correlated negatively with the duration of amenorrhea and age of thalassemic patients.
Pafumi
C
C
Department of Microbiological and Gynecological Science, University of Catania, Italy.
Roccasalva
L
L
Pernicone
G
G
Spanò
G
G
Palumbo
M A
MA
Gregorio
F D
FD
Caruso-Nicoletti
M
M
Conversano
M
M
Cianci
A
A
Palumbo
G
G
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013131:Spine; D013997:Time Factors; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*