Relationship of age-related concentrations of serum FSH and LH with bone mineral density, prevalence of osteoporosis in native Chinese women

Background Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) may play an important role in bone mass regulation in postmenopausal women. Methods A cross-sectional study of 699 healthy Chinese women, aged 20 to 82 y, was conducted. Serum FSH and LH and BMD were measured at the posteroanterior (PA) spine, lateral spine, total hip, and distal forearm. Results The geometric mean values (± SD) of serum FSH and LH in premenopausal women were 3.94 ± 2.08 and 7.51 ± 2.58 IU/l, respectively, and in postmenopausal women were 28.8 ± 1.88 and 25.6 ± 1.95 IU/l, respectively. The correlation of FSH to BMD at different skeletal regions (r = − 0.597 – − 0.492, P = 0.000) was higher than that of LH to BMD (r = − 0.452 – − 0.332, P = 0.000). The prevalences of osteoporosis for the quartiles of FSH at various skeletal sites were 0.57%, 0.43%, 27.1%, and 30.9%, respectively; and of LH were 2.14%, 4.43%, 19.5%, and 26.0%, respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis in 3rd and 4th quartile was more significantly increased than the 1st and 2nd quartile. Conclusions These data suggest that FSH and LH levels in circulation are associated with BMD changes and osteoporosis occurrence in Chinese women.