Numerous phosphocalcium alterations associated with bone mineral density in hypertension have been described, but very few studies assess them. This study assesses bone mass in hypertensive postmenopausal women and the hypertension influence determining both calcium homeostasis and bone turnover markers. Blood and urine samples were analysed for calcium metabolism-related parameters. Densitometry studies were conducted in the lumbar spine (L2-L4). Hypertensive osteoporotic womenFselected from 82 women, with 22% osteoporosis prevalence, similar to the rate for the same age in the Spanish populationFhad significantly higher levels of body mass index (29 7 4 vs 26 7 4, P ¼ 0.019), calciuria (293 7 146 vs 210 7 116 mg/ 24 h, P ¼ 0.023) and calcium/creatinine ratio (0.33 7 0.2 vs 0.22 7 0.1 P ¼ 0.003) vs hypertensive nonosteoporotic women. No relation was found between systolic and diastolic blood pressure with bone mass. However, there was a negative osteocalcin correlation (r ¼ À0.386, P ¼ 0.0001, and r ¼ À0.242, P ¼ 0.033). Calciuria is associated with bone mass decrease in hypertensive women, and there is no relation between bone mass and blood pressure.

Increased fetal bowel echogenicity in the second trimester is used as a marker for prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The diagnosis of hyperechogenicity is subjective. We sought to quantify and correlate fetal bowel echogenicity with liver and bone in 47 normal fetuses, using three‐dimensional ultrasonographic technique and objective measurement of gray scale distribution. No significant change was found in the organs' echogenicity between 15 and 24 weeks of gestation, the optimal time for detection of fetal chromosomal anomalies. A wide variability in bowel density was noted within the normal group, which could explain its poor sensitivity for the detection of Down syndrome. Bowel echodensity correlates better with liver density than with bone density. Thus, comparison of bowel to liver echogenicity, even with two‐dimensional sonography, may prove to be a more effective clinical tool in the evaluation of fetal intra‐abdominal echodensities.