The impact of serum FSH and estradiol on postmenopausal osteoporosis related to time since menopause.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact on osteopenia/osteoporosis of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol levels and time since menopause in a group of Turkish postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Four hundred and thirty-three healthy postmenopausal women seen at the Marmara University Menopause Outpatient Clinic were enrolled for this prospective cohort study. The women were allocated to one of three groups according to the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebrae and total hip, as measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Serum FSH, estradiol levels, age and time since menopause were compared between the groups.


RESULTS
The mean serum FSH, LH, estradiol and testosterone levels for women with normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic BMD at lumbar vertrebra L1-L4 and total hip were comparable. Time since menopause had a stronger predictive value for low BMD (osteopenia or osteoporosis) in the lumbar and hip areas than did serum FSH or estradiol levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that neither FSH nor E2 has a strong impact on postmenopausal BMD. However it appears that time since menopause has a weak non-significant association with postmenopausal osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Marmara University , School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. tevfik.yoldemir@gmail.com
Tevfik
T
Yoldemir
Mithat
M
Erenus
Fatih
F
Durmusoglu
D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey
D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone