Primary ovarian insufficiency associated with increased risk of osteoporosis

CLEVELAND: The loss of estrogen after menopause is associated with rapid bone loss. A new study compared the bone health outcomes in women with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause with women who experienced menopause at the standard age to confirm the association between POI and osteoporosis. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Osteoporosis is a skeletal condition characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue that leads to fragility and an increased risk of fracture. The debilitating disease, which affects more women than men, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality when osteoporotic fractures occur, leading to an increased rate of institutionalization and risk for mortality.

Previous studies have suggested an association between osteoporosis and POI, which is the loss of ovarian function before age 40 years. This new study, however, is the first one done on a larger scale, with more than 12,000 participants. It confirms the findings of smaller studies that demonstrated an association between POI and early menopause (described as the loss of ovarian function between 40 and 45 years) on bone mineral density and osteoporosis. Specifically, women with POI were shown to have higher odds of osteoporosis and were more likely to be taking osteoporosis drugs.