Journal List > J Korean Soc Menopause > v.18(1) > 1052077

Chun, Kim, Lee, Yoon, Kang, Choi, Park, and Kim: Bone Response to Hormone Therapy according to Basal Bone Mineral Density and Previous Response to Hormone Therapy

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate bone responses to hormone therapy (HT) according to basal bone mineral density (BMD) and previous responses to HT, as well as the frequency and clinical characteristics of HT non-responders in Korean postmenopausal women.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed a total of 1,836 postmenopausal women who received HT from seven university hospitals. BMD data at the lumbar spine (LS), femur neck (FN), femur trochanter (FT) and total hip (TH) before HT, and at one, two, and three years after HT were collected. All patients were divided into three groups according to basal BMD: normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis.

Results

Women with a greater loss of BMD during the first year of HT were more likely to gain BMD in the second year at any of the four skeletal sites. Bone responses to HT during the third year were not related to the responses during the first year. Mean BMD changes during the first year were significantly higher in the osteoporosis group, but mean BMD changes during the second year were not different between three groups except in LS. The frequency of non-responder (annual BMD losses more than 3%) during the first year was significantly higher in the normal basal BMD group. Mean basal BMDs were higher in the two-year consecutive non-responder group at LS, FN and FT, but those of the three-year consecutive non-responder group were not significantly higher except in FN.

Conclusion

Most women who lose BMD after HT are likely to gain BMD during the next year. The frequency of non-responders is higher in the higher basal BMD group, and patients with lower basal BMD will be likely to respond better to HT.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Mean percentage change of bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine during year 1 compared with the mean percentage change of BMD in the lumbar spine during the second and third year of hormone therapy
jksm-18-15-i001

Values are mean ± SE, P: ANOVA, BMD: bone mineral density. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, mP < 0.05 by Tukey's multiple comparison test

Table 2
Mean percentage change of bone mineral density and the proportion of non-responders at 1, 2 and 3 years after hormone therapy according to the basal status of bone mass of the lumbar spine
jksm-18-15-i002

Values are mean ± SE, P: ANOVA, P*: chi-square test, BMD: bone mineral density. a, b, cP < 0.05 by Tukey's multiple comparison test

Table 3
Mean percentage change of bone mineral density and the proportion of non-responders at 1, 2, and 3 years after hormone therapy according to the basal status of bone mass in the lumbar spine, femur neck, and femur trochanter
jksm-18-15-i003

Values are mean ± SE, P: ANOVA; P*: chi-square test. a, b, cP * 0.05 by Tukey's multiple comparison test

Table 4
Comparison of clinical characteristics, hormone therapy type and basal status of bone mineral density between 2-year consecutive hormone therapy non-responders and others in lumbar spine, femur neck, and femur trochanter
jksm-18-15-i004

Values are mean ± SE, P: Student's t-test; P*: Fisher's exact test. BMI: bone mass index, BMD: bone mineral density, HT: hormone therapy, EPT: estrogen progestogen therapy, ET: estrogen therapy

Table 5
Comparison of clinical characteristics, hormone therapy type and basal status of bone mineral density between 3-year consecutive hormone therapy non-responders and others in lumbar spine, femur neck, and femur trochanter
jksm-18-15-i005

Values are mean ± SE, P: Mann-Whitney test; P*: Fisher's exact test. BMI: bone mass index, BMD: bone mineral density, HT: hormone therapy, EPT: estrogen progestogen therapy, ET: estrogen therapy

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