Objectives The objective is to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis among women in Bahrain who are aged ≥18 years. Methods In this retrospective study conducted at Salmaniya Medical Complex, a total of 590 Bahraini women were enrolled. Their bone mineral density measurements were obtained through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) performed between January 2017 and December 2017. Six sites were chosen as the measurement targets. Patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis if their T-score was > -2.5 according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Results Osteoporosis was diagnosed in 27.1% of the patients; 53.2% had osteopenia, 0.3% had severe osteoporosis, and 19.3% had normal bone conditions. The prevalence of osteopenia as well as osteoporosis increased with age. Conclusion Osteoporosis and osteopenia are common among Bahraini women. This study provides useful information on the prevalence of osteoporosis among Bahraini women. Major steps by health authorities in the country are needed to reduce morbidity and improve the quality of life.
Keywords: bone mineral density (bmd); dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (dexa); osteopenia; osteoporosis; world health organization.
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