Table 2.
Adjusted associations of time elapsed after the final menstrual period and key covariates with postmenopausal bone mineral density
| BMD (g/cm2) at the last study visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumbar spine | P-value | Femoral neck | P-value | |
| Time from FMP, years | −0.006 (−0.08, −0.004) | <0.0001 | −0.004 (−0.006, −0.002) | <0.0001 |
| Chronological age, years | 0.006 (0.003, 0.09) | <0.0001 | −0.000 (−0.002, 0.002) | 0.7 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 0.004 (0.009, 0.012) | <0.0001 | 0.000 (−0.001, 0.001) | 0.5 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||
| Black | −0.005 (−0.020, 0.011) | 0.5 | −0.004 (−0.019, 0.011) | 0.4 |
| Chinese | 0.001 (−0.026, 0.027) | 0.9 | −0.003 (−0.023, 0.018) | 0.7 |
| Japanese | 0.002 (−0.024, 0.027) | 0.9 | −0.012 (−0.031, 0.008) | 0.2 |
| White | Reference | Reference | ||
| Starting BMD | ||||
| Lumbar spine, SD | 0.166 (0.159, 0.174) | <0.0001 | — | — |
| Femoral neck, SD | — | — | 0.129 (0.122, 0.136) | <0.0001 |
Associations are presented as point estimate (95% CI) and are results of multivariable linear regression with the last postmenopausal lumbar spine or femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) measurement in each participant as outcome and the number of years from the final menstrual period at the time of the BMD measurement as primary predictor. Models were adjusted for chronological age at the time of the BMD assessment, race/ethnicity, Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) study site, exposure to bone-beneficial or bone-detrimental medications and/or vitamin D or calcium supplementation, and the following covariates assessed at SWAN baseline: body mass index (kg/cm2), cigarette use (current/past/never), and alcohol intake (<7 drinks per week, >7 and <14 drinks per week, and >14 drinks per week), lumbar spine or femoral neck BMD, and menopause transition stage (pre- or early perimenopause). Bone-beneficial medications included hormone therapy, calcitonin, calcitriol, bisphosphonates, denosumab, and parathyroid hormone. Bone-detrimental medications included oral or injectable glucocorticoids, aromatase inhibitors, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, or antiepileptic medications.
Abbreviations: BMD, bone mineral density; BMI, body mass index; FMP, final menstrual period.