OSTEOPOROSIS AND FALLS IN MEXICAN-AMERICAN ELDERS

对骨质疏松症、跌倒和骨折的流行病学知之甚少。 拉美裔美国人。拟议的研究将招募150名墨西哥裔美国人 圣马特奥县和圣克拉拉县65-84岁的妇女 ，并将重点研究骨矿物质的流行病学 密度和瀑布的密度。特别强调了物理的作用 脆弱和环境、文化和营养因素 低骨密度和跌倒的原因和进展。一个 基线横断面研究将包括以下措施：骨 髋部、脊柱、桡骨远端、桡骨近端和 全身钙；过去一年跌倒的频率(通过问卷调查)； 骨转换生化标记物；皮肤色素沉着；肌肉测试 力量、步态、机动性和平衡性；以及(通过问卷调查)信息 低骨密度的其他各种可能的危险因素 还有瀑布。研究对象将重复进行相同的测量 四年内每年一次。基线横断面调查将提供 目前还没有关于骨密度分布的数据， 跌倒的频率，以及墨西哥人身体虚弱的其他指标-- 这一年龄段的美国女性以及与骨骼相关的因素 矿物质密度和跌倒妇女的特征。纵向的 组件将允许识别骨密度的预测因素 和跌倒频率，以及骨骼随时间变化的预测因子 矿物质密度；骨转换和跌倒频率的标志物。因此，这一点 研究应提供有关低骨矿物质频率的新信息 密度和跌倒，以及身体虚弱和其他 墨西哥裔美国妇女的病因因素。

Little is known of the epidemiology of osteoporosis, falls and fractures in Hispanic-Americans. The proposed study would recruit 150 Mexican-American women in the age range 65-84 years from San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties in northern California, and would focus on the epidemiology of bone mineral density and of falls. Particular emphasis is given to the role of physical frailty and environmental, cultural, and nutritional factors in the causation and progression of low bone mineral density and falls. A baseline cross-sectional study would include the following measures: bone mineral density in the hip, spine, distal radius, proximal radius, and whole body calcium; frequency of falls in the past year (by questionnaire); biochemical markers of bone turnover; skin pigmentation; tests of muscle strength, gait, mobility, and balance; and (by questionnaire) information on a variety of other putative risk factors for low bone mineral density and for falls. Study subjects would have the same measurements repeated annually for four years. The baseline cross-sectional survey would provide data not currently available on the distribution of bone mineral density, fall frequency, and other indicators of physical frailty in Mexican-- American women in this age group, and on factors correlated with bone mineral density and on characteristics of women who fall. The longitudinal component would allow identification of predictors of bone mineral density and fall frequency, as well as predictors of change over time in bone mineral density; markers of bone turnover, and fall frequency. Thus, this study should provide new information on the frequency of low bone mineral density and of falls, and of the roles of physical frailty and other factors in the etiology Mexican-American women.