Measurement of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femur in normal Saudi children and adolescents using dual x-ray absorptiometry
El-Desouki, M.I.
Saudi Medical Journal 20(1): 95-99
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-5284 PMID: 27605282 Document Number: 505379
Objective: To establish the normative data of bone mineral density in healthy Saudi children 5 - 20 years of age. Methods: Measurements of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and proximal femur were performed in one center (King Khalid University Hospital between 1988 and 1996) using dual x-ray densitometry. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and 3 femoral sites was performed on 109 healthy Saudi females and 116 Saudi males, 5-20 years of age. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis was derived to predict the bone mineral density values as a function of age, weight and body mass index using linear regression equation (Y = a + b age). A remarkable increase in bone mineral density was observed at age 7-8 and 13-14 (puberty) in both sexes. The lumbar spine bone mineral density of the Saudi children was markedly lower than that of the caucasian Americans especially at age 5-6 (-10% in male and -14% in female) and age 11-12 (-17% in male and -12% in female). Conclusion: Bone mineral density in Saudi children and adolescents is low compared to caucasian Americans, and further studies should be encouraged to study the effect of life style, exposure to sun, physical activity, milk and dairy product consumption, and geographical location, on bone mineral density measurements.