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D C Bauer

Publications and source records attributed to D C Bauer.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Thyroid functions and serum lipids in older women: a population-based study.

PURPOSE: To determine if thyroid hormone deficiency, manifested by elevated serum thyrotropin (TSH), is associated with alterations in serum lipids in an unselected population of older women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Population-based sampling of 279 ambulatory white women over age 65 studied at four US clinical centers, randomly selected from a cohort of 9,704 participants enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. A third-generation chemiluminescent TSH assay and serum lipid levels--total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides--were measured on fasting sera collected at the baseline visit. The cross-sectional relationships between TSH and lipid levels were analyzed. RESULTS: TSH was high (>5.5 mU/L) in 19 women (6.8%), and was low (< or =0.1 mU/L) in 10 (3.6%). After multiple adjustment, LDL-C was 17 mg/dL or 13% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] 1%, 25%), and HDL-C was 6.5 mg/dL or 12% lower (CI -0.2%, -25%) in women with high TSH compared with those with normal TSH. The ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C was 29% greater (CI 4%, 53%) among women with elevated TSH. Although total cholesterol was 8% higher among women with high TSH, this difference was not statistically significant (CI -1%, 15%). High TSH was found in 12% of the women with the combination of high cholesterol (>240 mg/dL), high LDL-C (>160 mg/dL), and low HDL-C (<45 mg/dL); likelihood ratio = 1.8) whereas high TSH was found in only 2.2% of women with normal lipids (likelihood ratio = 0.3). CONCLUSION: Among older white women, high TSH is associated with deleterious changes in serum lipids, particularly HDL-C, LDL-C, and the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C cholesterol. Women with multiple lipid abnormalities are twice as likely to have an increased TSH.

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Associations between low levels of serum estradiol, bone density, and fractures among elderly women: the study of osteoporotic fractures.

To evaluate the skeletal effects of endogenous serum estradiol, we measured bone mineral density (BMD) at the calcaneus and radius (single photon absorptiometry) and at the hip and spine (dual x-ray absorptiometry) in 274 women aged 65 yr or more who participated in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Lateral radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine were also taken, and serum was assayed for estradiol. Those who had estradiol levels from 10-25 pg/mL had 4.9%, 9.6%, 7.3%, and 6.8% greater BMD at total hip, calcaneus, proximal radius, and spine than those with levels below 5 pg/mL. After multiple adjustments, BMD differences remained statistically significant and corresponded to about 0.4 SD. Vertebral deformities were less prevalent among women whose estradiol level exceeded 5 pg/mL; the multiple adjusted odds ratio was 0.4 (95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.8). We conclude that physiologically low estradiol has a salutary effect on the skeleton in elderly women, possibly by reducing skeletal remodeling.

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Intermittent use of nitrates increases bone mineral density: the study of osteoporotic fractures.

Nitric oxide slows bone remodeling and bone loss in animals. Because nitroglycerin and other nitrates increase nitric oxide levels, we hypothesized that nitrate use may be associated with greater bone mineral density (BMD) and decreased risk of fracture in humans. Further, intermittent nitrate use may be associated with greater benefits than daily nitrate use, which results in tachyphylaxis. We tested this hypothesis using data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. We prospectively studied 6201 elderly women of whom 317 took nitrates on a daily basis and 74 used them intermittently. We measured BMD at the hip and the heel and adjusted all comparisons for multiple potential confounders. We found that women taking daily nitrates had slightly greater hip BMD (difference, 13%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14-4.1%) but the same heel BMD (difference, 0%; 95% CI -2.6-2.6%) as nonusers. By contrast, women using nitrates intermittently had substantially greater hip (difference, 2.6%; 95% CI, 0.4-6.8%) and heel BMD (difference, 53%; 95% CI, 2.6-11%) than nonusers. This study suggests that the intermittent administration of nitrates may enhance BMD.

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Hormonal predictors of bone loss in elderly women: a prospective study. The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

To test the hypotheses that baseline concentrations of sex steroids, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and calciotropic hormones predict rates of bone loss in elderly women, sera were stored at -190 degrees, and calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 9704 community-dwelling white women aged 65 and over (1986-1988). Hip BMD was measured 2 years later (1900). Repeat measurements of a calcaneal and hip BMD were obtained in 1993-1994, after 5.7 and 3.5 years of follow-up, respectively. In 1994, sera were assayed for circulating hormone levels in random subcohorts of 231 and 218 women who did not report current use of hormone replacement therapy at baseline. Lower levels of endogenous estrogens and higher SHBG concentrations were associated with more rapid subsequent bone loss from both the calcaneus and hip. After adjusting for age and weight, women with high SHBG levels (highest quartile < or = 2.3 micrograms/dI) experienced an average of 2.2% (95% confidence interval = 1.6%, 2.9%) calcaneal bone loss per year compared with 1.2% (0.7%, 1.2%) among women with low SHBG concentrations (lowest quartile < 1.1 micrograms/dI; p < 0.01). This association was independent of concentrations of other sex hormones. Women with estradiol levels > or = 10 pg/ml averaged only 0.1% (-0.7%, 0.5%) annual hip bone loss while women with levels below 5 pg/ml averaged 0.8% (0.3, 1.2) hip bone loss per year. Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were associated with increased hip but not calcaneal bone loss. Levels of parathyroid hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and Calcium were not significantly associated with bone loss from the calcaneus or hip.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Broadband ultrasound attenuation predicts fractures strongly and independently of densitometry in older women. A prospective study. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative ultrasound of bone is a new radiation-free technique that measures bone mass and may assess bone quality. Retrospective studies have suggested that low-bone ultrasound of the calcaneus is associated with an increased risk for hip and other fractures in older women. OBJECTIVES: To establish the utility of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound of bone for the prediction of fractures and to compare quantitative ultrasound of bone with bone mineral densitometry by performing a prospective cohort study within the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 6189 postmenopausal women older than 65 years of 4 US clinical centers. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), a measurement of the differential attenuation of sound waves transmitted through the calcaneus, and bone mineral density of the calcaneus and hip were measured. Subsequent hip and other nonspine fractures were documented during a mean follow-up of 2.0 years. RESULTS: In age- and clinic-adjusted analyses, each SD reduction in calcaneal BUA was associated with a doubling of the risk for hip fractures (relative risk [RR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-2.7); a similar relationship was observed with bone mineral density of the calcaneus (RR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.9-3.0) and femoral neck (RR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.9-3.8). After adjustment for bone mineral density of the femoral neck, BUA was still associated with an increased risk for hip fracture (RR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.1). Intertrochanteric fractures in particular were strongly associated with a low BUA measurement (RR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.0-5.5). CONCLUSIONS: Broadband ultrasound attenuation predicts the occurrence of fractures in older women and is a useful diagnostic test for osteoporosis. The strength of the association between BUA and fracture is similar to that observed with bone mineral density.

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Calcaneal ultrasound attenuation in older African-American and Caucasian-American women.

The lower fracture rates among African-American women relative to Caucasian women may reflect their higher bone mass. However, bone mass is not the only determinant of bone strength: the quality and microarchitecture of the bone are also important. Quantitative ultrasound is believed to measure properties of bone strength that are independent of bone mass. To test the hypothesis that there are racial differences in quantitative ultrasound measures of bone, we recruited 154 African-American women age > or = 65 years. A random sample of 300 Caucasian women participating in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was chosen for comparison. The Walker Sonix UBA 575+ was used to measure calcaneal broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA). Duplicate BUA measurements were obtained with a reproducibility of 5%. We measured bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip and calcaneus using single (calcaneus) or dual (hip) energy X-ray absorptiometry. The correlation between BUA and calcaneal BMD was similar in Caucasians (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and African-Americans (r = 0.58, p < 0.001). Age-adjusted BUA (dB/MHz) was higher among the African-American women than Caucasian women (69.1 and 66.2, respectively), but these differences were not statistically significant, (p = 0.12). Adjustment for calcaneal BMD completely attenuated the racial differences in BUA. BMD at the femoral neck and calcaneus was higher among the African-American women, even after adjusting for age, height and weight. In conclusion, our results suggest that racial differences in rates of fracture cannot be explained by differences in bone quality as assessed by ultrasound attenuation.

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Low thyrotropin levels are not associated with bone loss in older women: a prospective study.

The relationship between excess thyroid hormone and bone loss is controversial. To determine whether low TSH levels, indicating excessive thyroid hormone, are associated with low bone mass or accelerated bone loss in older women, we performed a prospective cohort study of 458 women over age 65 yr participating in the multicenter Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Three hundred and twenty-three women were randomly selected from the entire cohort of 9704; an additional 135 randomly selected thyroid hormone users were studied. Medical history, medication use, and calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed at the baseline visit. Serum was collected and stored at -190 C. Hip and spine BMD were measured approximately 2 yr later, and follow-up calcaneal and hip BMD measurements were obtained after mean follow-up periods of 5.7 and 3.5 yr, respectively. TSH levels were determined in baseline serum samples using a third generation chemiluminescent assay. After adjustment for age, weight, previous hyperthyroidism, and use of estrogen, bone loss over 4-6 yr was similar in women with low, normal, or high TSH. For example, femoral neck bone loss was -0.3%/yr (95% confidence interval, -0.8%, 0.3%) among women with low TSH (< or = 0.1 mU/L) and -0.5%/yr (95% confidence interval, -0.7%, -0.3%) in those with normal TSH (0.1-5.5 mU/L). There were no statistically significant differences in baseline bone mass of the calcaneus, spine, or femoral neck or trochanteric hip subregions. Baseline total hip BMD was 6% lower (P = 0.01) in women with low TSH. Similar results were obtained in analyses confined to women not taking estrogens. We found no consistent evidence that low TSH, a sensitive biochemical marker of excess thyroid hormone, was associated with low BMD or accelerated bone loss in older ambulatory women.

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Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use in elderly women: effects on a marker of bone resorption. The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies suggest nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) and aspirin use is associated with a modest increase in bone mineral density of the hip and lumbar spine. The ability of NSAID to block prostaglandin E2 production has been shown to impair osteoclast activity in animal models. To determine if regular use of these compounds inhibits bone resorption, we assessed NSAID or aspirin use and N-telopeptide crosslink excretion in elderly postmenopausal women. METHODS: N-telopeptide crosslink excretion was assessed from a consecutive sample of 499 women from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, age > 65 years, who provided a morning urine sample. Questionnaire, examination, and bone mineral density data were obtained at the same visit. RESULTS: In unadjusted models, daily use of NSAID or aspirin was associated with a reduction of 12.5% (95% CI 0.5, 24.5) in N-telopeptide crosslink excretion (p < 0.05). After adjustment for potential confounders, N-telopeptide crosslink excretion was -4.8% (95% CI -24.4, 14.8) in NSAID users and +7.6% (-9.3, 24.5) in aspirin users compared to nonusers. CONCLUSION: Regular use of either NSAID or aspirin by elderly women was not associated with reduction in N-telopeptide crosslink excretion compared to nonusers.

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Randomised trial of effect of alendronate on risk of fracture in women with existing vertebral fractures. Fracture Intervention Trial Research Group.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that alendronate can increase bone mineral density (BMD) and prevent radiographically defined (morphometric) vertebral fractures. The Fracture Intervention Trial aimed to investigate the effect of alendronate on the risk of morphometric as well as clinically evident fractures in postmenopausal women with low bone mass. METHODS: Women aged 55-81 with low femoral-neck BMD were enrolled in two study groups based on presence or absence of an existing vertebral fracture. Results for women with at least one vertebral fracture at baseline are reported here. 2027 women were randomly assigned placebo (1005) or alendronate (1022) and followed up for 36 months. The dose of alendronate (initially 5 mg daily) was increased (to 10 mg daily) at 24 months, with maintenance of the double blind. Lateral spine radiography was done at baseline and at 24 and 36 months. New vertebral fractures, the primary endpoint, were defined by morphometry as a decrease of 20% (and at least 4 mm) in at least one vertebral height between the baseline and latest follow-up radiograph. Non-spine clinical fractures were confirmed by radiographic reports. New symptomatic vertebral fractures were based on self-report and confirmed by radiography. FINDINGS: Follow-up radiographs were obtained for 1946 women (98% of surviving participants). 78 (8.0%) of women in the alendronate group had one or more new morphometric vertebral fractures compared with 145 (15.0%) in the placebo group (relative risk 0.53 [95% Cl 0.41-0.68]). For clinically apparent vertebral fractures, the corresponding numbers were 23 (2.3%) alendronate and 50 (5.0%) placebo (relative hazard 0.45 [0.27-0.72]). The risk of any clinical fracture, the main secondary endpoint, was lower in the alendronate than in the placebo group (139 [13.6%] vs 183 [18.2%]; relative hazard 0.72 [0.58-0.90]). The relative hazards for hip fracture and wrist fracture for alendronate versus placebo were 0.49 (0.23-0.99) and 0.52 (0.31-0.87). There was no significant difference between the groups in numbers of adverse experiences, including upper-gastrointestinal disorders. INTERPRETATION: We conclude that among women with low bone mass and existing vertebral fractures, alendronate is well tolerated and substantially reduces the frequency of morphometric and clinical vertebral fractures, as well as other clinical fractures.

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Sensitive thyrotropin and free thyroxine testing in outpatients. Are both necessary?

BACKGROUND: The appropriate use of specific thyroid function tests to detect thyroid dysfunction remains controversial; some experts recommend both a sensitive thyrotropin (sTSH) test and a free thyroxine (FT4) test, while others recommend an sTSH test alone. OBJECTIVE: To determine how often sTSH and FT4 tests are ordered simultaneously, how often the results are discordant, and under what circumstances a single test of thyroid function may be sufficient to rule out thyroid dysfunction. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study of all sTSH and FT4 tests performed on adult outpatients during a 6-month period. If both sTSH and FT4 tests were performed on a single serum specimen, the results were classified as concordant (both tests indicating hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or euthyroidism) or discordant. Chart review was performed on patients with normal sTSH results and abnormal FT4 results. RESULTS: A total of 6551 sTSH and 3518 FT4 tests were performed during the study period. Both sTSH and FT4 tests were ordered together on 3143 specimens (48% and 89% of the total number of sTSH and FT4 tests ordered, respectively) from 2629 patients. Of the sTSH results, 69.8% were within the normal range, and 92.7% of the FT4 results were normal. The concordance between sTSH and FT4 results was 74.3%. Among the 1835 specimens with normal sTSH results, FT4 level was low in 11 patients (0.6%; 95% confidence interval, 0.3%-0.9%) and high in 24 (1.3%; 95% confidence interval, 0.8%-1.8%). Chart review did not disclose any instances when an abnormal FT4 results contributed to the treatment of an individual with a normal sTSH result. CONCLUSIONS: The sTSH test alone, and not the combination of sTSH and FT4 tests, should be ordered in most outpatients. An FT4 test should not be routinely ordered if the sTSH result is normal; at our institution this approach would obviate the need for at least half of the FT4 tests performed each year.

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Axial bone mass in older women. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the anthropometric, historical, and lifestyle factors associated with bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine and proximal femur in older women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analyses. SETTING: Four clinical centers in Baltimore, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; and the Monongahela Valley, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: 7963 ambulatory, nonblack women 65 year of age or older. MEASUREMENTS: Medical history was obtained by questionnaire and interview, and physical and anthropometric data were obtained by examination. Lumbar spine and proximal femoral BMDs were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The multivariable models could predict 21% and 25% of the difference between participants in BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine, respectively. Weight was most highly associated with BMD. Postmenopausal estrogen use and other indicators of total estrogen exposure were strongly associated with increased BMD. Use of diuretics (both thiazide and nonthiazide), activity levels and muscle strength, alcohol intake, and dietary calcium intake were associated with higher BMD. A family history of osteoporotic fracture was strongly associated with low BMD. European ancestry and blond hair, childbirth or breast feeding, a history of hyperthyroidism, and progestin use were not associated with axial BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Weight is strongly associated with BMD. Estrogen exposure, physical activity, and calcium intake are also positively associated with BMD, whereas a family history of osteoporosis is associated with reduced BMD. These associations suggest ways to better identify risk for fracture.

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Aspirin and NSAID use in older women: effect on bone mineral density and fracture risk. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

Prostaglandin inhibition by aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) may inhibit bone loss and preserve bone mineral density (BMD) in vitro and in animal models. The effect of these agents on BMD and fracture risk in postmenopausal women in unknown. We assessed the risk factors for osteoporosis and the use of aspirin and NSAIDs in 7786 white women over age 65. Axial BMD was measured at the same time, and fractures were prospectively documented over the subsequent 4 years of follow-up. In age-adjusted analyses, daily use of aspirin or NSAIDs was associated with a 2.3-5.8% increase in BMD of the hip and spine. The relationship persisted even after adjustment for weight, a variety of medications, self-reported arthritis, and for radiographic findings of osteoarthritis, but the multiply adjusted increase in BMD was only 1.0-3.1%. Fracture risk was similar among daily users of aspirin and NSAIDs and nonusers. After adjustment for potential confounders, among daily aspirin users the relative risk of hip fracture was 1.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7, 1.6), and among daily NSAID users the risk was 0.9 (CI: 0.6, 1.4). Considering all nonspine fractures together, the risk among aspirin users was 1.0 (CI: 0.8. 1.2), and among NSAID users the risk was also 1.0 (CI; 0.8, 1.2). Regular use of aspirin or NSAIDs may have a modest beneficial effect on BMD in postmenopausal women. This effect persists after adjustment for obesity and the presence of osteoarthritis. However, among women who take aspirin or NSAIDs regularly, there is no clinically significant protective effect on the subsequent risk of fractures.

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Osteoporosis: association of recent fractures with quantitative US findings.

PURPOSE: To study the association of quantitative ultrasound (US) parameters and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with and patients without recent fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors studied 4,698 women (69 years or older) who had sustained 1,363 new fractures, including 106 hip fractures, during the 7 years prior to the study. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and other velocity parameters were measured by means of quantitative US of the calcaneus. BMD was measured at the spine, hip, and calcaneus. RESULTS: The standardized age-adjusted odds ratio for all fractures was 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4, 1.7) for BUA and up to 1.6 (95% CI = 1.5, 1.7) for BMD. For hip fractures, the odds ratio was 1.9 (95% CI = 1.5, 2.4) for BUA and up to 2.6 (95% CI = 2.0,3.4) for BMD. Sensitivity and specificity with BUA, velocity parameters, and BMD were comparable. Results of multivariate analysis showed that both BUA and BMD were independently associated with fractures and that combined measurements improved sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: Quantitative US parameters are strongly associated with risk of fracture and partly independent of BMD. This simple, low-cost, portable, and radiation-free approach may complement bone densitometry in assessing risk of osteoporotic fracture.

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Quantitative ultrasound and vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women. Fracture Intervention Trial Research Group.

Quantitative ultrasound is a promising technique to evaluate fracture risk. To test the hypothesis that reduction of one ultrasound measurement, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), is associated with an increased risk of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of 442 women aged 55-80 years enrolling in a clinical trial of alendronate. Prior to randomization, we obtained bone mineral density (BMD) measurements of the hip, spine, and whole body, radiographs of lateral lumbar and thoracic spine, and duplicate measurements of calcaneal BUA with a Walker Sonix UBA575. Vertebral fractures were defined by morphometry and semiquantitative reading by a radiologist. After adjustment for potential confounders, the relative risk of vertebral fracture was 1.8 (95% CI 1.4-2.3) for each standard deviation reduction in BUA; for each standard deviation reduction in BMD, the relative risk was 1.7 (95% CI 1.3-2.1) at the femoral neck, and 2.2 (95% CI 1.7-2.9) at the spine. Adjustment for hip, spine, or whole body BMD did not significantly alter the relation between BUA and vertebral fracture. For example, after adjusting for spine BMD, the relative risk of vertebral fracture was 1.5 (95% CI 1.1-2.0) for each standard deviation reduction in BUA. We conclude that low BUA is associated with the presence of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women. The relation between BUA and vertebral fracture is similar to that observed for BMD and vertebral fractures. Furthermore, the relation between BUA and vertebral fracture persists after adjustment for BMD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Factors associated with appendicular bone mass in older women. The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with appendicular bone mass in older women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected for a multicenter, prospective study of osteoporotic fractures. SETTING: Four clinical centers in Baltimore, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; and the Monongahela valley, Pennsylvania. PATIENTS: A total of 9704 ambulatory, nonblack women, ages 65 years or older, recruited from population-based listings. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic and historical information and anthropometric measurements were obtained from a baseline questionnaire, interview, and examination. Single-photon absorptiometry scans were obtained at three sites: the distal radius, midradius, and calcaneus. Multivariate associations with bone mass were first examined in a randomly selected half of the cohort (training group) and were then tested on the other half of the cohort (validation group). RESULTS: In order of decreasing strength of association, estrogen use, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, thiazide use, increased weight, greater muscle strength, later age at menopause, and greater height were independently associated with higher bone mass. Gastric surgery, age, history of maternal fracture, smoking, and caffeine intake were associated with lower bone mass (all P < 0.05). For example, we found that 2 or more years of estrogen use was associated with a 7.2% increase in distal radius bone mass, whereas gastrectomy was associated with an 8.2% decrease in bone mass. The associations between bone mass and dietary calcium intake and rheumatoid arthritis were inconsistent. Alcohol use, physical activity, use of calcium supplements, pregnancy, breast-feeding, parental nationality, and hair color were among the many variables not associated with bone mass. Multivariate models accounted for 20% to 35% of the total variance of bone mass. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of factors influence the bone mass of elderly women; however, age, weight, muscle strength, and estrogen use are the most important factors.

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