Age as a predictive factor of mammographic breast density in Jamaican women.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the relationship between age, and other clinical characteristics such as parity, oestrogen use, dietary factors and menstrual history on breast density in Jamaican women.


METHODS
A retrospective study was done of 891 patients who attended the breast imaging unit. The clinical characteristics were extracted from the patient records. Mammograms were assessed independently by two radiologists who were blinded to the patient clinical characteristics. Breast densities were assigned using the American College of Radiology (ACR) classification.


RESULTS
The concordance between the ACR classification of breast density between the two independent radiologists was 92% with k = 0.76 (SE = 0.02, P < 0.001). Women with low breast density were heavier (81.3 +/- 15.5 kg vs 68.4 +/- 14.3 kg, P < 0.0001, mean +/- standard deviation (SD)) and more obese (body mass index (BMI), 30.3 +/- 5.8 kg m(-2) vs 26.0 +/- 5.2 kg m(-2), P < 0.0001). Mammographic breast density decreased with age. The age adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for predictors significantly related to high breast density were parity, OR = 0.79 (95%CIratio0.71, 0.88), weight, OR = 0.92 (95% CIratio0.91, 0.95), BMI, OR = 0.83 (95% CIratio0.78, 0.89), menopause, OR = 0.51 (95% CIratio0.36, 0.74) and a history of previous breast surgery, OR 1.6 (95% CIratio1.1, 2.3).


CONCLUSIONS
The rate decline of breast density with age in our population was influenced by parity and body composition.
Soares
Deanne
D
Section of Radiology, Department of Surgery, Radiology and Anaesthetics and Intensive Care, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. dpsoares@cwjamaica.com
Reid
Marvin
M
James
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001940:Breast / Q000502:physiology*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000208:ethnology; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D012189:Retrospective Studies