Measurement of bone mineral density in amenorrheic women with dual photon absorptiometry.

Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 17 patients with gonadal dysgenesis, 21 patients with premature ovarian failure, 14 patients with hyperprolactinemia, 23 patients postoophorectomy and 41 normal healthy women. Each group was divided into two subgroups, on the basis of whether or not they were receiving estrogen replacement therapy. Linear regression analysis showed a significant loss of BMD at a rate of 0.006 g/cm2 per year in the lumbar spine of normal healthy women. The distribution of individual values in each study group was near or within normal confidence limits, except for the group with gonadal dysgenesis. The mean BMD of each group without estrogen replacement therapy was significantly less than that of the control group. There was a significant correlation between the duration of amenorrhea and BMD values in the groups with premature ovarian failure and postoophorectomy. These results indicate that BMD, measured by dual photon absorptiometry, was reduced in amenorrheic patients, especially in patients with gonadal dysgenesis. Estrogen replacement therapy was able to decrease the severity of bone loss, but failed to increase the bone mass. Dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) is a simple, effective, and accurate tool for assessing the severity of osteoporosis and monitoring the effect of therapy.