Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The heel Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) evaluates the bone health, with good results if the clinical risk factors are also evaluated for each patient. Among these, the body mass index (BMI) may be protective or risk factor for a fragility fracture, depending on the values.

Aim: We present a study in postmenpausal women evaluated by QUS and BMI.

Patients & method: This is a study in 330 patients (women in menopause who were drug free for osteoporosis). To all of them we evaluated the BMI and heel QUS (GE Lunar Achilles device). The QUS analyze was performed using the Stiffness Index (SI), in Units (U) a combined parameter, useful in evaluation of the fracture risk.

Results: Based on BMI, we formed three groups based on BMI: group 1 BMI≤24.9 kg/m², group 2 with BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m², and group 3 with BMI≥30 kg/m². The av. values for BMI in the three groups were: 22.45±1.99, 27±1.64, 34.5±4.09 kg/m². The av. age for the three groups was: 56.3+/7.99 years, 58.26±8.44 years, 55.45±7.6 years. The av. SI was for the three groups: 70.35±16.44 U, 79.16±17.54 U, 83.39±18.32 U. The SI increases with BMI. The student t-test between the normal weight and overweight group was P=0, between obese and normal was P=0, and between overweighed and obese was P=0.06.

Conclusions: We found statistically significant results regarding the QUS-SI, between the BMI groups, meaning that a higher SI, so a lower fragility fracture risk associates a higher BMI.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.