Age changes in bone mineralization, cortical thickness, and Haversian canal area

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Age-related changes in femoral cortical bone were quantified in an age-graded series of human cadavers. Variables included in this study were cortical thickness, bone mineral content, cortical bone density, summed Haversian canal area, Haversian canal number, and mean Haversian canal area. Females showed significant (PPP<0.05) larger mean Haversian canal area values compared with males, but the male group exhibited more Haversian canals per unit area of cortical bone compared with females. Intercorrelations between the bone mineral index and summed Haversian canal area and between cortical bone density and summed Haversian canal area define the role of increasing Haversian canal number and mean canal size per unit area of cortical bone as a factor in the reduction of bone mass as a function of age. Partial correlations between the bone mass variables and the variables assessing Haversian canal size and number further support this argument.