[Bone mineral density in Cameroon women in Yaounde: an echographic study].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the bone mineral density (BMD) of Cameroonian woman and the importance of primary osteoporosis of the menopausal women.


METHODS
It was a 10 months cross sectional and observational study carried out on voluntary clinically healthy women aged at least 20 years. A complete clinical examination and measurement of the BMD by quantitative ultrasound measurement of the calcaneus was carried out. The BMD was calculated automatically by the apparatus with values in g/cm2 and in T-score.


RESULTS
367 women, mean age 52 year (range 20 and 89) were included in the study. 218 (59.4%) were menopausal. The average bone mineral density was 0.513 g/cm2 (+/- 0.141). The bone minera density reduction was progressive with age with a sharp slope after 70 years. The statistically significant reduction of BMD was associated with: menopause, lower or moderate physical activity, weekly consumption of milk product evaluated at less than the equivalent of a cup of yoghurt, cigarette smoking. Alcohol consumption and obesity had no significant influence on the distribution of BMD. Considering the T-score, 13.6% had osteoporosis, 46.6% osteopenia and 53.4% were normal. In the women of 50 years and above, 17.9% had osteoporosis against 0.6% in women below 50 years while above 70 years, 55.8% had osteoporosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The BMD of urban Cameroonian women is comparable with that of other women in the world. Osteoporosis is seemingly also present as in the western world, but with relatively less fractures. These results need to be confirmed by studies with larger population size.
Département de médecine interne et spécialités, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I-Cameroun, BP 1364 Yaoundé, Cameroun. madeleine_ngandeu@hotmail.com
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Singwe-Ngandeu
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Nko'o Amvene
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult