[Dual X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA] in normal Chilean women. Correlation between reference values and anthropometric variables].
BACKGROUND
Bone mineral density results are expressed as the number of standard deviations from reference values in similar populations. However these reference values have not been obtained locally and there may be discrepancies between Chilean and other Hispanic populations.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of DEXA in healthy Chilean women and to correlate them with reference values and anthropometric parameters.


METHODS
We studied prospectively 166 normal women aged between 15 and 55 years, using a Hologic QDR 1000 equipment, yielding bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and bone area (A) in the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). These bone densitometric variables vere correlated with weight, height and age of women and compared against the reference values of the Hologic equipment. Relation between BMC and A was evaluated using a regression analysis.


RESULTS
BMD and BMC were lower to reference values in most age groups, especially for LS. There was a significant correlation of BMD with A in LS (r: 0.278, p < 0.001), weght in both LS (r: 0.382, p < 0.0001) and FN (r: 0.266, p < 0.001), height in LS (r: 0.258, p < 0.001) and age in FN (r: -0.231, p < 0.01). Only in LS, regression analysis between A and BMC did not show direct proportionality.


CONCLUSIONS
BMD of healthy Chilean women was lower than the reference values of the Hologic equipment for most age groups. Bone densitometric variables are non uniformly influenced by weight, height and size of bone structures (A) in normal women, especially in LS. Correct interpretation of DEXA requires the validation of reference values and to assess the value of bone area measurements.
Servicio de Medicina Nuclear y de Imagenología Clínica Indisa, Universidad Andrés Bello. globo@machi.med.uchile.cl
Gabriel
G
Lobo
David
D
Ladrón de Guevara
Alexandra
A
Zerboni
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis