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from ABC NY: more studies ---

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http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/health/wabc_ONCALL_050305_osteoporosis.html

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Important News For Women About Osteoporosis And Race
Osteoporosis And Race
By Dr. Jay Adlersberg

(New York-WABC, May 3, 2005) — Tonight Seven's On Call with important news for women about keeping your bones strong and healthy. Your race may determine your bone density. Dr. Jay Adlersberg is here with details.

For More On This Story:
American College of Physicians:
Osteoporosis
National Institutes Of Health:
Osteoporosis and African-American Women

Many older people, particularly women, are at risk of bone fractures because of osteoporosis, but studies show that there are racial differences.

Researchers are starting to look more into how race affects different health conditions. One heart drug designed for African Americans is now before the FDA, and today a study looks at the special differences in risk of fractures in African American women.

Women have about a 40 percent of having a painful and costly bone fracture sometime in their lives. Thinning bones, or osteoporisis, is the primary reason.

Although African American women are at a lower risk of osteoporosis and fractures, they still need bone mineral density tests. Seventy-nine year old Amy Brown had one.

Amy Brown, Osteoporosis Patient: "The test showed that my bones were weak."

Meaning she was at risk of fracture. But because Amy is African American, her risk of fracture is lower than that of a white woman with similar bone density.

Reseachers reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared bone density and fracture rates in black and white women for six years.

Dr. Jane Cauley, University of Pittsburgh: "At every level of bone density, the rate of fracture was still 30 to 40 percent lower among African American women."

So for African American women, the bone density level alone cannot tell doctors when women might need to have intervention such as medication to protect them from fractures. The researchers say a black reference database is needed.

Dr. Jane Cauley: "The important thing is to identify the African American women who are at risk of fracture. So yes, their rate will be lower, but we still need to identify the African American women who are at risk and who may indeed benefit from prevention."

Researchers have a hypothesis that there's something else involved other than just the bone density. It could be how fast the bone is remodeled. Still, all women should remember risk factors for testing are similar and that should not be overlooked.

African American women who might get osteoporosis should be tested for bone density. While the risk of fractures is lower, the numbers are high in both black and white populations.


More Top Stories from Dr. Jay ++++

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