Moilanen A, Kopra J, Kröger H, et al. - Long-term changes in bone mineral density (BMD) after menopause and factors affecting BMD are investigated.

• From the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention (OSTPRE) study, a random sample of 3,222 women was selected; 62.1% of the women were postmenopausal at the initiation of the study.

• The longest (25-year) BMD follow-up in postmenopausal women has been presented herein.

• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements at the femoral neck were performed on these women every 5 years from baseline (in 1989) up to 25-year follow-up. The baseline cohort reduced to 686 women during the follow up.

• The mean 25-year BMD change of −10.1% was recorded. Higher bone loss rate was recorded in correlation with higher baseline BMD.

• There appeared protective effects of lower baseline BMI and a greater increase in BMI against postmenopausal bone loss.

• For the annual bone loss rate, there was no statistical significance of the number of diseases/bone-affecting diseases, use of vitamin D/calcium supplementation, use of corticosteroids, smoking or alcohol use.

• Relative to the previous assumptions, there was less linear femoral neck bone loss of 10%.

• In postmenopausal women, a 5-year BMD change was predictive of long-term bone loss.