title: Findings from a 10-year follow-up of bone mineral density in competitive perimenopausal runners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) in perimenopausal competitive runners with long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen master female runners between 40 and 50 years old who ran at least 20 miles per week were evaluated. BMD was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at baseline and at the 10-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 46 and median miles run per week, 25. At baseline, after a median of 11 years of competitive running, hip BMD was above peak bone mass (T-score = 0.8) and that of age-matched controls (Z-score = 1.6), while lumbar spine BMD was below peak bone mass (T-score = -0.8) and equal to that of age-matched controls (Z-score = -0.1). At the 10-year follow-up, hip BMD fell below peak bone mass (T-score = -0.2, p = 0.0004) but was still above that of age-matched controls (Z-score = 0.5, p = 0.002), while there was little change in lumbar spine BMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Competitive running prior to the perimenopausal period seems to be associated with improved hip BMD. However, continued competitive running during the perimenopausal period is not associated with prevention of a perimenopausal hip BMD decline. In contrast, competitive running had little effect on peri-menopausal lumbar spine BMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Summa Health System, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Akron, OH 44309, USA. fanningj@summa-health.org
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanning
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larrick
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: Terrence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Horrigan
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Marcotte
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Flora
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D047648:Perimenopause; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires