高齢女性の踵骨骨密度と胸腰椎椎体骨折の関係

Relationship between the Bone Mineral Density of the Heel and Vertebral Fracture of the Thoracolumbar Spine in Elderly Women

　骨密度測定と脊椎椎体のX線評価は骨粗鬆症にとって簡便で頻用される評価法である．本研究は高齢女性の踵骨骨密度と胸腰椎部の脊椎椎体骨折の関係について評価することを目的とした．対象は65歳以上の女性162例，年齢は82.7±7.4（66～99）歳であった．方法は対象患者の踵骨骨密度測定と腰椎X線の臥位側面像を撮影し評価した．椎体骨折は胸腰椎移行部に多く，踵骨骨密度は対象の年齢と圧迫骨折数に関連していた．高齢女性の踵骨骨密度は骨粗鬆症に伴う椎体骨折に関連していることが判明した．

　The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between calcaneal bone mineral density and vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine in elderly women. The subjects were 162 women 66 to 99 years of age (mean age：82.7±7.4). We measured calcaneal bone mineral density and the vertebral body height in lateral radiographic views of the thoracolumbar spine. Many vertebral compression fractures were observed in the thoracolumbar spine. Calcaneal bone mineral density was related to the age and the number of vertebral compression fractures, and it was concluded that calcaneal bone mineral density is associated with fractures of the thoracolumbar spine in elderly women.