Introduction:

Osteoporosis is a diffuse skeletal disease characterized by a generalized decrease in bone resistance, which predisposes patients to an increased risk of fragility fractures and is recognized as a serious health problem.

Objective:

To determine bone mass in middle-aged women and some factors related to it.

Methods:

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in middle-aged women from the Policlínico 19 de Abril. The following data were extracted from the data collection form: age, skin color, climacteric stage, number of deliveries, breastfeeding months, hormonal results. Densitometry was performed to determine women with normal bone, low bone mass or osteopenia and osteoporosis, and these were associated with some risk factors.

Results:

A group of 82 women were studied. Of them, 67.07% had normal bone mass in the lumbar spine, 19.51% had low bone mass or osteopenia, and 13.42% had osteoporosis. On the left hip, the majority (91.46%) had normal bone mass. Of the perimenopausal women, one aged 50-54 years had low bone mass; among postmenopausal women, osteoporosis predominated in the 50-54 age group (50%), as well as in those aged 55-59, those with normal bone mass and osteopenia (41.2% for each condition). In the postmenopausal women, those with white skin were the most affected in bone mass. The longer the postmenopausal period, the lower the bone mass (p = 0.031*); the higher the levels of luteinizing hormone (p = 0.000) and the follicle stimulating hormone (p = 0.000), the lower bone mineral density on the lumbar spine and left hip; the higher the levels of estradiol (p = 0.000), the higher bone mineral density on both locations.

Conclusions:

Most middle-aged women from the Policlínico April 19 were concluded to have normal bone; osteoporosis predominated in older age groups and white skin color. Longer postmenopausal time and higher levels of luteinizing hormone and the follicle stimulating hormone were associated with poor bone mass; high levels of estradiol were associated with better bone mass.

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