| [ Summary ] |
Postmenopausal osteoporosis results primarily from a reduction in endogenous estrogen levels, and thus accounts for gender differences, with female patients suffering from this condition predominantly.
Reductions in estrogen levels lead to failure to inhibit bone resorption resulting in abnormalities in bone metabolism. Reduction of the bone density and deterioration of the bone microenvironment combine to compromise bone strength in affected patients, thereby making their bone susceptible to non-traumatic fracture with only minor external pressure. The most common site for initial bone fracture occurrence is reported to be the spine, as commonly seen in Japanese patients in their late fifties and older. These "brittle bone" fractures tend to be multiple in nature, and more than two fractures are frequently noted in patients in their seventies or older. The development of osteoporosis is thus associated with multiple brittle bone fractures, poor quality of life and bodily function due to back and lower back pain, and spinal deformity that result from the condition. Therefore, osteoporosis will certainly become the focus of increasing concern for middle-aged and elderly women, particularly as a potentially debilitating condition affecting activities of daily living and the quality of life of these patients. |