Body Size Accounts for Most Differences in Bone Density Between Asian and Caucasian Women (original) (raw)

Abstract.

We compared bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole body (and subregions: arm, leg, and pelvis), hip, spine, lateral spine, wrist, and forearm among Caucasian and Asian women at four geographic centers (Honolulu, HI; Nottingham, UK; Portland, OR; Copenhagen, Denmark). Data were derived from the baseline examination of 1367 Caucasian and 162 Asian women enrolled in the 1609-subject Early Postmenopausal Interventional Cohort (EPIC) study. After adjusting for age, study site, years postmenopause, and years of estrogen use, BMD was approximately 4–6% lower (P < 0.05) among Asian women at most skeletal sites, but there was no significant difference for wrist or forearm BMD. Adding height, lean body mass, fat mass, and/or quadriceps muscle strength to the regression models reduced the racial differences at most skeletal sites; after these additional adjustments, Asian women had significantly lower BMD only for the lateral spine (−4.4%; P < 0.005), arm (−2.20%; P < 0.05) and leg (−1.65%; P < 0.05), whereas the wrist was significantly greater (4.64%; P < 0.005) for Asian women. Further research is needed to determine why racial differences in BMD persist at certain skeletal sites, but not others, after adjusting for body size.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Research, Hawaii Osteoporosis Center, 401 Kamakee Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814, US
    P. D. Ross, Y.-F. He & R. D. Wasnich for the EPIC Study Group
  2. Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey, US
    A. J. Yates & D. Thompson
  3. Nottingham City Hospital and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, GB
    C. Coupland
  4. CCBR, Ballerup, Denmark, DK
    P. Ravn
  5. Oregon Osteoporosis Center, Portland, Oregon, US
    M. McClung

Authors

  1. P. D. Ross
  2. Y.-F. He
  3. A. J. Yates
  4. C. Coupland
  5. P. Ravn
  6. M. McClung
  7. D. Thompson
  8. R. D. Wasnich for the EPIC Study Group

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Received: 22 January 1996 / Accepted: 3 May 1996

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Ross, P., He, YF., Yates, A. et al. Body Size Accounts for Most Differences in Bone Density Between Asian and Caucasian Women.Calcif Tissue Int 59, 339–343 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002239900137

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