Bone degradation among elderly women in Douala, Cameroon: Biochemical markers, prevalence and associated factors

Bone degradation increases in women over 60 years old. It is an emerging public health problem, especially in Cameroon. In this context, this study was designed to evaluate biochemical parameters which can be helpful to early evaluation of bone degradation. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to July 2019 at two hospitals in Douala. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data of each participant. Blood samples were collected to determine serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and PTH (Parathyroid hormone). Data were analysed using SPSS v16 and GraphPad v5.03 software. A total of 92 women mostly aged 60-65 years old with a mean age of 69 ± 8 years old were finally included. No statistically significant association between age and biochemical markers was found, even though calcium and PTH levels were higher in women over 75 years old (94.6 ± 8.4 mg/L and 47.6 ± 38.2 pg/mL, respectively). A positive correlation was found between PTH and phosphorus (p = 0.02). The prevalence of women at risk of bone degradation was 15.2% (95% CI 9.4-24.2%). Sensibility of calcemia to identify women at risk of bone degradation was 14.3% (95% CI 4.0 – 39.9%). Advanced age (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.02 – 9.15, p = 0.002) and history of fracture (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.01 – 15.06, p = 0.0001) were risk factors of bone degradation. This study outlined that bone degradation is present at significant prevalence among elderly women. PTH could be a potentially helpful biomarker for early detection of elderly women at risk of bone degradation.