Aging and Bone Loss
Reported June 23, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) Measuring bone density is the most common way of diagnosing osteoporosis, but how often should we get tested?
Researchers from Canada note older women and men have more hip fractures because bone loss accelerates as they age. Scientists wanted to find the average rate of change in bone mineral density as people get older.
More than 9,000 Canadians were in the study. Participants had their bone mineral density measured in the spine, hip and neck when the study began, and at three-year and five-year follow up visits.
Results show antiresorptive medication reduces bone loss. Even among women aged 50-54 where there was the greatest bone loss the rate was only 1.3 percent per year. This is consistent with rates of bone loss found in other studies. The authors also note that the 1.3 percent loss is within the margin of error of most bone densitometry machines.
The extent of the bone loss that we observed suggests that repeat measurements of bone density could be delayed to intervals of up to 5 years in the absence of other risk factors, conclude the authors.
In a related commentary, Dr. Mark Cooper from the United Kingdom, stresses that the change in bones over time is complex and that bone density is only one of many factors that can influence someones risk for fracture.
SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2008;178:1660-1668