Prediction of bone mineral density in menopaused women by using bioimpedance parameters

Abstract

Body bioimpedance (BI) characteristics are function of body composition as well as bone mineral content. Regardless of the measurement axis, the specific capacitance of the trabecular bone (more susceptible to osteoporosis than cortical bone), shows a strong positive correlation to bone mineral density. In this study, measured Cole-Cole model characteristics of 54 post-menopausal women, together with their anthropometric measurements, are used in modelling their total lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral densities. The measurements are then replicated with a control group of 48 subjects to validate the proposed model. Bone mineral densities (BMD) are measured with Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Cole-Cole characteristic frequencies are statistically different for different DEXA BMD scores. Having body mass index as a regression parameter together with the characteristic frequency has improved the model for hip bone mineral density and helped to explain the variance better.