The evaluation of hormonal and psychological parameters that affect bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE

In this study we aimed to investigate the relationships between serum levels of DHEAS, reproductive hormones and low bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. We also examined the relationship between psychological status of patients and their BMD results.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This study included postmenopausal female patients. BMD measurements were performed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Psychological assessments of all cases were performed using the Hamilton Anxiety and Hamilton Depression scales. All patients provided fasting venous blood samples in order to determine serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and DHEAS.

RESULTS

There were 33 cases (45.2%) with normal BMD levels and 40 cases (54.8%) with abnormal BMD levels (osteopenia and osteoporosis). DHEAS levels did not show any statistically significant difference according to BMD results (p = 0.431). The Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scores also did not show statistically significant differences in accordance with the BMD results (p = 0.889 and p = 0.706, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our results, anxiety, depression and circulating DHEAS levels are not significantly associated with low levels of BMD, particularly at osteopenic levels. So these parameters are not useful for clinical practice in patients with low BMD in the middle-aged postmenopausal women.