Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Article Title

T-scores in African American Women

Authors

Catherine Meyer, Mercy Hospital, Chicago, ILFollow
Brooke L. Griffin, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy
Kathy Komperda, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy
Jill Borchert, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy

Keywords

African American women; Bone densitometry; Fractures; Osteoporosis in women

Disciplines

Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Diagnosis | Musculoskeletal System | Public Health

Abstract

Many older bone densitometer (DXA) machines are programmed to calculate T-scores for African- American patients using peak African-American bone mass as reference standard.

This presents a problem because most data regarding fracture risk has been derived using Caucasian data (Binkley 2002). If the T-score for an African-American woman is calculated using a race-adjusted reference, the same absolute bone density will yield a lower T-score for an African- American than for a Caucasian woman. For this reason, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry has recommended that T-scores for all women, regardless of ethnicity, be calculated from Caucasian reference standards (ISCD 2007).

Recommended Citation

Meyer, Catherine; Griffin, Brooke L.; Komperda, Kathy; and Borchert, Jill (2010) "T-scores in African American Women," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 4: Iss. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol4/iss3/5