[Forearm density in women with early menopause].

The early menopause is well known to have deleterious effects on bone mass. Trabecular bone is thought to be mainly affected. Aim of this study was to produce evidence on charges in forearm total, cortical and trabecular bone density in women with early menopause. The study included 40 women menopaused before the age of 43 years and 44 age- and size-matched healthy controls, menopaused after the age of 45 years. Bone densitometry was carried out on a single X-ray DTX-100 densitometer. A special calculation procedure was used to determine bone density of cortical and trabecular bone. The early menopaused women had low bone density both at the Distal (mainly trabecular) bone. We conclude that early-onset menopause affects mainly trabecular bone and causes premature ageing of bone.