Increased risk of humerus and lower leg fractures in postmenopausal women with self-reported premenopausal hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of fracture in women aged >55 years with self-reported premenopausal hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study including 1057 post-menopausal women aged >55 years who were treated in a primary care facility in Santa Maria, South Brazil, from March 2013 through August 2013. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire for characteristics including fracture history, medication use, and reproductive history (oligomenorrhea, hirsutism, miscarriage, the diagnosis or treatment of hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, or infertility).


RESULTS
A non-significant trend towards an increased prevalence of all fragility fractures was observed in women with premenopausal hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea when compared to those without (20.4% vs. 15.7%). After correction for age, falls, and comorbidities, fracture prevalence was significantly higher in the lower leg (OR 3.1 [CI 1.1-8.6]; P=0.029), and humerus (OR 2.6 [CI 1.2-5.4]; P=0.015) in the women with hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea.


CONCLUSIONS
This is a hypothesis-generating study which evaluated the association between hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea and fractures in postmenopausal women. Our results suggest that premenopausal hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea may be associated with an increased risk of fracture postmenopause, particularly in the humerus and lower leg.
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health Science Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil. Electronic address: fabio.comim@ufsm.br.
Fabio V
FV
Comim
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health Science Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Luana Q
LQ
Marchesan
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health Science Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Rafaela M
RM
Copes
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health Science Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Adhan R
AR
de Vieira
Pharmaceutical Science, Postgraduate Course, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Rafael N
RN
Moresco
Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Juliet E
JE
Compston
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health Science Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Melissa O
MO
Premaor
D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula; D006306:Health Surveys; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D017697:Premenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012306:Risk; D057566:Self Report; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
Bone fracture; Hirsutism; Hyperandrogenism; Oligomenorrhea