[Bone densitometry and uterine size: a practical relationship for climacteric women].
BACKGROUND
Double beam bone densitometry allows to select climacteric women who will benefit from hormone replacement. However, it is not always affordable in clinical practice.


OBJECTIVE
To study possible alternative markers of bone mineral density.


METHODS
A retrospective survey of climacteric women in whom bone mineral density was measured when hormone replacement therapy was started. Eighty one women were studied and in 27, uterine size index was obtained from pelvic ultrasound examinations. Women with and without uterine size index measurements were analyzed separately. Relationships of bone mineral density with age, lapse from menopause, body mass index and uterine size index were sought.


RESULTS
There was a significant regression between the lapse in years from menopause and lumbar bone mineral density in the group without uterine size index measurements (r2 = 0.228, ANOVA p = 0.014). There was also a significant regression of lumbar bone mineral density with the uterine size index (r2 = 0.236, ANOVA p = 0.01) in those women in whom this measurement was available. No other variables were associated with bone mineral density.


CONCLUSIONS
In this group of patients, the lapse after menopause and uterine size index are predictors of lumbar bone mineral density (Rev Méd Chile 2000; 128: 1127-31).
Porcile
A
A
Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
Gallardo
E
E
Duarte
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002979:Climacteric / Q000502:physiology*; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*