A prospective study on the effects of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate on trabecular and cortical bone after attainment of peak bone mass.
OBJECTIVE
To study the annual change of bone mass in women aged 30-45 years being treated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) in order to evaluate whether the bone mass depends on the duration of DMPA use or the oestradiol level.


METHODS
Prospective longitudinal study over an interval of 12 months.


METHODS
A family planning centre of a university hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-six current users of DMPA.


METHODS
Injection of 150 mg DMPA every 12 weeks.


METHODS
Bone mass was measured at the distal radius by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (reproducibility 0.3%).


RESULTS
Mean annual changes (SD) in trabecular and cortical bone mass were 0.06 (1.6%) [P = 0.8] and -0.26% (0.6) [P < 0.04]. The decrease in cortical bone mass was not significant because the changes were within the precision error of the method used for the measurements. Duration of DMPA use and oestradiol levels were not associated to the bone parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find a negative impact of DMPA on the bone mass of premenopausal women aged 30-45 years.
Merki-Feld
G S
GS
Clinic of Endocrinology, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland.
Neff
M
M
Keller
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008572:Menarche; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011884:Radius / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D004958:Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D002118:Calcium