[Co-existence of reduced femur neck density and reduced skin thickness].

Objective: In peri- and postmenopausal women, the association of skin thickness with bone mass is well described, and a low skin thickness is a useful predictor of osteoporosis. In this study the association between skin thickness and bone mass of femoral neck in peri- and postmenopausal women was assessed; and the potential for skin thickness as a screening test for osteoporosis evaluated.
Design/methods: Skin thickness was measured at the arm by ultrasonography (probe 22 MHz). Bone mass was measured at the neck of femur by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. One hundred and three peri- and postmenopausal women were studied.
Result: Successive decrease of skin thickness going along with the loss of femoral neck bone mass was found. There was a statistically significant difference in skin thickness between group of females with normal bone mass and group with osteopenia (p < 0.05) and osteoporosis (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Ultrasound skin measurement is a very simple method which can be used in the diagnostics of osteopenia and osteoporosis of the neck of femur in peri- and postmenopausal women.