BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN PATIENTS WITH DISTAL RADIAL FRACTURES

Abstract

Objectives: Our aim in this study, is to compare the values of bone mineral density (BMD) of hip, spine and opposite radius in postmenopausal women with and without distal radial fractures, and to evaluate the relationship between BMD and distal radial fractures.
Patients and methods: We evaluated 26 postmenopausal women (mean age: 60.7 years) who had admitted in our clinic with displaced distal radial fractures. All of the patients were treated with closed reduction and cast application after clinical and radiological examination. As a control group, 19 postmenopausal women with no osteoporotic fractures, within the same age group was taken. Bone mineral density of the patients were measured by dual-enery X-ray absorsorptiometry (DEXA). All measurements were undertaken by the same technician with the same machine within 10 days after the fracture. Bone mineral density values were measured from lumber spine, femoral neck and opposite radius for the patients and dominant radius for the control group in terms of t and z scores. The results were evaluated by the osteoporosis criterias of World Health Organization.
Results: The overall mean t and z score of the opposite radius for patients was –3.07 and –2.08, respectively. Measurements taken at the lumber spine and femoral neck were –2.34 and –1.17 for the t scores recpectively, and –1.5 and –0.57 for the z scores respectively. Average of total t and z score were calculated as –2.67 and –1.38 respectively. Distal radius, femur neck and total t scores of the patients were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.05). All the t scores of the patients were lower than –2.5, except one. Hip fracture occurred in one patient after distal radial fracture. The average of body weight was significantly lower in the patient group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: In this study, for the patients with distal radial fracture; the decrease of femur neck, distal radius and total t scores were statistically significant when compared with the control group. Because of lower BMD values were seemed to be related with fracture insidence, we advocate the routine measurement of bone mineral density in women at least one time after the menapause and begin treatment for appropriate patients.