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Follicle-stimulating hormone and bioavailable estradiol are less important than weight and race in determining bone density in younger postmenopausal women

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Abstract

Summary

The association between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and bone density was tested in 111 postmenopausal women aged 50–64 years. In the multivariable analysis, weight and race were important determinants of bone mineral density. FSH, bioavailable estradiol, and other hormonal variables did not show statistically significant associations with bone density at any site.

Introduction

FSH has been associated with bone density loss in animal models and longitudinal studies of women. Most of these analyses have not considered the effect of weight or race.

Methods

We tested the association between FSH and bone density in younger postmenopausal women, adjusting for patient-related factors. In 111 postmenopausal women aged 50–64 years, areal bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, and distal radius using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and volumetric BMD was measured at the distal radius using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Height, weight, osteoporosis risk factors, and serum hormonal factors were assessed.

Results

FSH inversely correlated with weight, bioavailable estradiol, areal BMD at the lumbar spine and hip, and volumetric BMD at the ultradistal radius. In the multivariable analysis, no hormonal variable showed a statistically significant association with areal BMD at any site. Weight was independently associated with BMD at all central sites (p < 0.001), but not with BMD or pQCT measures at the distal radius. Race was independently associated with areal BMD at all sites (p ≤ 0.008) and with cortical area at the 33% distal radius (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Correlations between FSH and bioavailable estradiol and BMD did not persist after adjustment for weight and race in younger postmenopausal women. Weight and race were more important determinants of bone density and should be included in analyses of hormonal influences on bone.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Brent Henderson for his assistance with the data collection and database management and Dan Schiferl of Bone Diagnostic Inc. for his training and supervision of the pQCT analysis. The project described was funded by grants from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R03AR055734) and National Center for Research Resources (K23RR024685, M01RR00046, and UL1RR025747). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the funding agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    M. L. Gourlay

  2. Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    J. S. Preisser

  3. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    C. A. Hammett-Stabler

  4. Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    J. B. Renner

  5. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    J. Rubin

  6. Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    J. Rubin

  7. University of North Carolina, Aycock Building, Manning Drive, CB #7595, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7595, USA

    M. L. Gourlay

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  1. M. L. Gourlay
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  3. C. A. Hammett-Stabler
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Correspondence to M. L. Gourlay.

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Gourlay, M.L., Preisser, J.S., Hammett-Stabler, C.A. et al. Follicle-stimulating hormone and bioavailable estradiol are less important than weight and race in determining bone density in younger postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int 22, 2699–2708 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-010-1505-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-010-1505-x

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