A STUDY OF OSTEOPOROSIS IN PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS

Abstract

Osteoporosis is an important, global public health issue, which is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. According to the World Health Organization, osteoporosis is defined as a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) of 2.5 standard deviations or more below (a T-score of <-2.5 SD) that of the mean peak BMD of young adults when measured by DEXA. Prevalence of osteoporosis varies across different populations. Risk of osteoporosis and its related complications is one of the important health problems in The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). In rural areas of Upper Egypt, the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women was even higher reaching up to 47.8%. Such high prevalence highlights the extent of the disease in the scope of public health and the need of having up-to-date guidelines for the management of osteoporosis in Egypt.