The evaluation of hormonal and psychological parameters that affect bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to investigate the relationships between serum levels of DHEAS, reproductive hormones and low bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. We also examined the relationship between psychological status of patients and their BMD results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included postmenopausal female patients. BMD measurements were performed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Psychological assessments of all cases were performed using the Hamilton Anxiety and Hamilton Depression scales. All patients provided fasting venous blood samples in order to determine serum levels of fol l icle st imulat ing hormone (FSH) , luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and DHEAS. RESULTS: There were 33 cases (45.2%) with normal BMD levels and 40 cases (54.8%) with abnormal BMD levels (osteopenia and osteoporosis). DHEAS levels did not show any statistically significant difference according to BMD results (p = 0.431). The Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scores also did not show statistically significant differences in accordance with the BMD results (p = 0.889 and p = 0.706, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, anxiety, depression and circulating DHEAS levels are not significantly associated with low levels of BMD, particularly at osteopenic levels. So these parameters are not useful for clinical practice in patients with low BMD in the middleaged postmenopausal women.