CALCIUM STATUS IN PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Authors

  • Hamid Javaid Qureshi
  • Ghulam Hussain
  • Zafar Altaf Jafary
  • Muhammad Usman Bashir
  • Naghmana Latif
  • Zeeshan Riaz

Abstract

Background: In postmenopausal women, the two major causes of bone loss are oestrogendeficiency after menopause and age related processes. Bone turnover increases to high levels andoestrogen deficiency may induce calcium loss by indirect effects on extra skeletal calciumhomeostasis. Objective of this study was to evaluate calcium status in pre-menopausal andpostmenopausal women. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in 34premenopausal women and 33 postmenopausal women, in Department of Physiology, ServicesInstitute of Medical Sciences, Lahore. Height and weight of each woman were taken to find outthe body mass index (BMI). Serum calcium, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin levels of eachsubject were determined. Results: Premenopausal women were obese (BMI>30 Kg/m2) whilepostmenopausal women were overweight (BMI>25 Kg/m2). Serum calcium levels weresignificantly lower in postmenopausal women than in pre-menopausal women, while serumparathyroid hormone levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal woman. Serum calcitoninlevel was not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusion: Postmenopausal women arecalcium deficient and have increased bone turnover as indicated by increased serum parathyroidhormone levels.Keywords: Premenopausal, postmenopausal, calcium, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin.

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Published

2010-06-01