Quantitative ultrasound assessment of the effect of parity on bone mineral density in females

Background The effect of pregnancy and breastfeeding on a female’s bone mineral density (BMD) is controversial. This prospective study aims to investigate the effect of parity on BMD among pre-menopausal multiparous females using quantitative ultrasound as a screening method and females with no pregnancies (nulliparous) as a control group. Methods A portable ultrasound-based bone densitometer (DMS PEGASUS SMART, Mauguio, France) was used to indirectly assess the BMD in 51 multiparous (29–45 years) and 51 nulliparous Arabic females (18–35 years) by quantifying the broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) from their right calcaneus bone. BUA > 70 db/mhz = normal, BUA 65–69.9 db/mhz = below average, BUA 55–64.9 db/mhz = osteopenia and BUA < 55 db/mhz = osteoporosis. Results There was a significant difference in mean BUA between multiparous and nulliparous females (74.1 db/mhz vs. 69.3 db/mhz, p = 0.006). The prevalence of normal BMD was significantly higher in the nulliparous group than in the multiparous group (70.6% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.02). Osteoporosis was found in the multiparous group only (3/51). Among the multiparous females who breastfed (43/51), a total of 51.2% (22/43) had normal BMD, 25.6% (11/43) had BMD below average, 18.6% (8/43) had osteopenia and 4.7% (2/43) had osteoporosis. No significant differences in mean BUA (p = 0.2) were found between the group of females who breastfed for one year (13/43; BUA: 70.5 ± 9.4), the group of females who breastfed for 6–11 months (8/43; BUA: 70.6 ± 10.0) and those who breastfed for less than six months (22/43; BUA: 71.6 ± 9.4). A binary logistic regression model built for predicting BMD normality showed significance for the variable parity (p = 0.03), while the effect of the possible confounding variables BMI and age on BMD normality was found to be non- significant (p = 0.1 and p = 0.6, respectively). Conclusion Parity affects the BMD, as assessed by a portable ultrasound-based bone densitometer, of young and middle-aged females as compared to the BMD of nulliparous females.

To help practitioner: monitoring treatment of osteoporosis in study of bone mineral density on different axial densitometers

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is recognized as the ‘gold standard’ for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. This method is used not only for the initial assessment of the state of the IPC, but also for further monitoring of treatment or preventive measures. It allows you to compare the data of a patient with successive measurements during a long observation. However, it is impossible to evaluate the results of studies in dynamics on devices of different manufacturers without standardizing indicators or introducing correction factors. A simple method for recalculating the T-score obtained on a Dexxum 3 apparatus (OsteoSys, South Korea) is presented in order to compare it with a similar indicator of a bone densitometer Lunar Prodigy (GE Healthcare, USA).

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PERIPHERAL BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BIKANER DISTRICT RAJASTHAN

Summary -Peripheral bone density measurements are scarce and the factors, which predict bone mineral density at these sites, especially in children, are not clearly known. In this study, age, height, weight and BMI had a significant association on peripheral bone mineral density in healthy Indian school children. Introduction- Factors that lead to the attainment of peak bone mass at peripheral sites, during period of growth are not clearly known. Methods- Hundred children are randomly selected 7- to 17-year-old children from govt. and private schools were assessed clinically and a recording of their height and weight was undertaken. Bonemineral density measured by ultrasound bone densitometer. at the calcaneum (BMDca). Results -bone mineral density is assessed in correlation of following parameters:-When age wise BMD was analysed between both study groups, government school children had lower BMD values in both age groups (7-11 years, 12-17 years) and the difference between BMD in both age groups was statistically highly significant (p<0.01).Considering sex wise distribution of Bone mineral density it was clearly shown that BMD among private school children had higher values among both males and females, and the difference is statistically highly significant (p<0.01) among females. When Bone mineral density levels were compared according to BMI levels, the difference was observed to be not significantly associated with BMI levels (p>0.05) though government school children showed lower BMD levels as compared to private school children. Conclusion -age, nutrition, height and weight are significantly associated with BMD at peripheral sites. Keywords: Bone mineral density, Distal forearm, ultrasound bone densitometer, Socioeconomic status.