Assessment of the bone status of Nigerian women by ultrasound and biochemical markers

Abstract

Ultrasound analysis of the calcaneus and serum markers of bone turnover were used to examine the bone status of healthy Nigerian women who reside in an area of the world where dietary calcium intake is generally low and estrogen replacement therapy is not widely available. A total of 218 women (108 premenopausal and 110 postmenopausal) between the ages of 16 and 95 years were enrolled in the study. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and speed of sound velocity (SOS) were measured and used to calculate the stiffness index (SI) of the calcaneus. In this cross-sectional study, the Nigerian women exhibited a marked age-dependent decline in SI that was defined by the regression equation SI = 105.9 - 6.62E-3 x Age2. SI was significantly correlated with age (r = -0.41, P < 0.001) and with serum NTx concentrations (r = -0.26, P < 0.001), but not with serum levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP). Years since menopause was also significantly correlated with SI (r = 0.40, P < 0.001). A significant increase in serum NTx concentration occurred at least a decade before a significant decline in SI was evident. In the total study group, 24% of the women had T-scores indicative of osteopenia and 9% had T-scores indicative of osteoporosis, based on US reference data. Although the reported current incidence of fracture is low in women in sub-Saharan West Africa, these data show that after menopause Nigerian women have a decline in bone quality and increase in bone turnover similar to North American Caucasian women.

Ultrasound Assessment of Bone Mass in Central Africans Population

“…It was superimposable to those of other populations in the world (Aspray et al, 1996;Joly et al, 1999;Hartl et al, 2002;Krieg et al, 2003;Vanderjagt et al, 2001;Gonç alves et al, 2015) and influenced in the same order by the anthropo-biometric elements and the hormonal (menopausal) status. These result are similar to those of bone mass measured by radiogrammetry, bone mineral content and mineral density measured by DXA on other sites and several populations (WHO Study Group, 1994;Aspray et al, 1996;Gonç alves et al, 2015;Barkmann et al, 2002;Baroncelli et al, 2009;Dequeker et al, 1982).…”

“…Skeletal status has been evaluated in several studies with the use of phalangeal QUS measurements (Joly et al, 1999;Hartl et al, 2002;Krieg et al, 2003;Vanderjagt et al, 2001;Gonç alves et al, 2015;Hodson et al, 2003;Drozdzowska et al, 2003;Ribeiro et al, 2010;Barkmann et al, 2002;Dib et al, 2005;Moayyeri et al, 2012;Wuster et al, 2000). However, the majority of them was done in Caucasians subjects and assessed usefulness of QUS at the hand phalanges to detect patients with osteoporosis.…”

“…Although the real significance of the measured parameters are still in study, ultrasonic methods have attracted increasing interest due to its advantages related above and seems to be an interesting tool for low-income countries (WHO Study Group, 1994;Hartl et al, 2002;Krieg et al, 2003;Vanderjagt et al, 2001;Gonç alves et al, 2015).…”

“…Phalangeal ultrasound Osteodensitometry is an increasingly accepted exploration by osteoporosis clinicians (Joly et al, 1999;Hartl et al, 2002;Krieg et al, 2003;Vanderjagt et al, 2001;Gonç alves et al, 2015), but it is not yet fully validated by WHO and most studies done to provide normative data for the QUS parameters, such as Amplitude Dependent Speed of Sound (AD-SoS), were based on European Caucasians samples.…”

Quantitative Ultrasound Measurements at the Calcaneus in a Population of Urban Senegalese Women: Least Significant Difference and T-Score

“…In the USA, quantitative ultrasound measureswere higher in African-American women than in Caucasian women [13,14]. However, few data are available on these measures in African women [15][16][17][18], and there are no normative data for Senegalese women.…”