Risk factors and prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women diagnosed by bone densitometry

Aim: To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Costa-Rican women who attended the Hospital San Juan de Dios of the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social and to relate it to clinical and lifestyle characteristics.

Methods: Cross-sectional study. A total of 923 bone densitometry studies of postmenopausal women aged between 45 and 80 years were analyzed. A T-score value obtained by bone densitometry for lumbar spine and hip was recorded. Age, body mass index, smoking, and other recognized risk factors for osteopenia/osteoporosis were documented. The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis was estimated and the relationship with the factors was analyzed.

Results. Risk factors significantly associated with the disease were: older age (p<0.001), earlier age at menarche (p=0.001), number of years since menopause (p<0.001), and family history of hip fracture (p=0.01). Other risk factors were not significant.

Conclusions. The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women were 47% and 39% respectively. No relationship was established for lifestyle variables such as smoking, alcoholism, physical activity, and dairy consumption. Further research is required with greater control over these variables to establish their risk related to the disease.