Osteoporosis in Indian women aged 40-60 years

The study investigates BMD pattern in Indian women aged 40-60 years through a retrospective assessment using DEXA scan of hip and spine of 1,282 asymptomatic Indian women. The Study group indicated high incidence of decreased bone mass and significantly lower BMD as compared to western and other Asian counterparts. Introduction: An understanding of BMD pattern in women aged 40-60 years is crucial for prevention, diagnosis of osteoporosis and management of its complications in later life. Hence, the present study investigates BMD in Indian women aged 40-60 years for which no data exists in literature. Method: A retrospective assessment of BMD by DEXA scan of hip and spine of 1,282 asymptomatic women in age group 40-60 was performed. Standardized BMD was calculated and compared with other population groups. Results: Osteoporosis and osteopenia are widely prevalent among females of the 40-60 age group as a meager 35% of subjects had normal bone density. Average BMD of spine was 0.89 (SD 0.14) gm/cm2 and average BMD of hip was 0.85(0.15) gm/cm2. The correlation between BMD and age was negative. Spine DEXA was found to be more significant than hip DEXA (p value < 0.0001) for osteoporosis assessment. Similarly, T scores of spine were more significantly correlated in this age group (p value < 0.0001) for osteoporosis than hip T scores. Conclusion: The study group indicated high incidence of decreased bone mass, and significantly lower BMD as compared to western and other Asian counterparts. This study emphasizes on early screening and treatment in study group to avoid long-term complications. © 2010 International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.