VOLUME 5 , ISSUE 2 ( July-December, 2017 ) > List of Articles
Lineo Matsela, Olakunle Towobola, Ephraim T Mokgokong
Citation Information : Matsela L, Towobola O, Mokgokong ET. Osteoporosis in Black South African Women: Myth or Reality. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2017; 5 (2):111-116.
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10032-1118
License: CC BY 3.0
Published Online: 01-01-2011
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2017; The Author(s).
The study was conducted to ascertain the severity of the occurrence of osteopenia and osteoporosis among black South African women during their transition from premenopause to postmenopause. Sixty-eight black South African women, aged between 32 and 77 years, residents of three districts of Pretoria, South Africa, constituted the participants in the study. Following informed consent, the women were randomly recruited and assessed for age, medical history, and lifestyle data. Each woman was classified as being premenopause, perimenopause, or postmenopause based on her menstrual history within the preceding 12 months to the study. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the L1-L4 vertebrae and the hip vertebrae was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method and the results were expressed as T-scores based on World Health Organization (WHO) classifications for osteopenia and osteoporosis. Osteopenia was found in 2 of the 8 (25%) premenopausal women aged 37 and 38 years. Similarly, 2 perimenopausal women out of the 28 (7.1%), aged 45 and 49 years, also had evidence of osteopenia. Among 32 postmenopausal women, 11 (34.4%) had osteopenia and 8 (25%) were diagnosed with osteoporosis. There was no statistical significant difference (p = 0.0832) for osteopenia between premenopausal and perimenopausal women. However, the incidence of osteopenia became statistically significant between premenopausal and postmenopausal women (p = 0.0137), and between perimenopausal and postmenopausal women (p = 0.0218). Even from this small cohort study, it is apparent that osteoporosis does afflict postmenopausal black South African women. The need to institute screening strategies and appropriate guidance to prevent osteoporosis in these women is strongly advocated. The study draws special attention to the necessity to investigate black South African women for early detection of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Matsela L, Towobola O, Mokgokong ET. Osteoporosis in Black South African Women: Myth or Reality. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2017;5(2):111-116. The authors herewith express their gratitude to both MSD (South Africa) and the South African Menopause Society for their financial donations, which enabled the DEXA evaluations of participants in this study.