Bone mass measurement using quantitative ultrasound in healthy Saudi women. A cross-sectional screening.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in healthy Saudi women, a community-based screening was carried out.


METHODS
Three thousand and two hundred sixty-nine women in the young women in peak bone mass (PBM) age group and 3131 in the postmenopausal age (PMA) group were screened using Achilles Insight (GE, USA). Subjects included in the study were healthy and residents of eastern province. The screening was conducted between January 2006 and December 2007. The study took place in King Fahd University Hospital, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


RESULTS
In the PBM age group, 2090 (63.9%) were normal, 791 (24.2%) were osteopenic and 388 (11.9%) were osteoporotic. Osteopenia was more common in single urban women compared to those who were married and living in rural areas (p<0.01 and p<0.001). Women with college education had significantly normal bone mass than women with less than high school education (p<0.01). In the PMA, 948 (30.3%) were osteopenic and 720 (23%) were osteoporotic. Osteopenic was more common in women in urban areas as compared to industrial and the rural areas (p<0.01). Those women whose education was less than primary had significantly more osteoporosis when compared to women with college education (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In the PBM, 11.9% were osteoporotic and in PMA group 23% were osteoporotic. Factors that influenced the risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis included level of education, number of children, and place of living.
Al-Habdan
Ibrahim M
IM
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, King Fahd University, Damman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sadat-Ali
Mir
M
Al-Muhanna
Fahd A
FA
Al-Elq
Abdulmohsen H
AH
Al-Mulhim
Abdul-Aziz A
AA
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*