Age-related changes in mineral density and the morphometric data of the spine

At the age aspect of 5-85 years the morphometric data and mineral density of the spine have been studied in normal subjects, males and females. In girls at the age of 5-10 the width of vertebrae 1,4-1,5 % increased in a year. At the age of 12-13 it 3,1 % increased, at that of 14-17 - 1,3 %. Within the period of 5-20 the width 24,1 % increased. At the age of 5-10 the height of vertebrae 4,6 % increased every year. The maximal increase of 7,3 % was noted at the age of 13. The increment of mineral density (MD) up to the age of 11 was 3,0-4,0 % each per year, at the age of 11-12 it was 5,7 %. At the age of 13-14 it was 8,0 %, and then 1,4-1,8 %each per year. In boys the width of vertebrae at the age of 5-6 years 2,1 % increased every year, after that it 1,5 % increased uniformly till the age of 12, at the age of 13-14 it 3,4 % increased. At the age of 15-19 the increase of 1,5 % was noted every year, after the age of 19 - the increase of 1,0 %. At the age of 5-6 the height 5,5 % increased, and after that it 3,8-4,8 % increased every year up to the age of 12. At the age of 13-15 the increase of 7,1 % per year, and the greatest increase of 8,3% was observed at the age of 14. Till the age of 12 MD 3,8 % increased, and at the age of 13 the increase of 5,4 % was noted. The highest increment (7,9 %) was noted at the age of 14-15, and after that it became less - 1,1-2,4 %. In adult subjects the maximal density in the lumbar spine was observed at the age of 21-25. In women its reliable decrease began at the age of 46-50, and in men - after the age of 60. The loss of minerals was accompanied by vertebra width increase at the expense of periosteal growing. The width of vertebrae in men and women increased slowly till the age of 75, and then it decreased.