title: Screening for osteomalacia in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures.
abstract: In this study 201 elderly patients with femoral neck fractures were compared with 30 osteomalacic patients with the same injury. Hypocalcaemia and a raised alkaline phosphatase level are common biochemical abnormalities in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures. In only a minority of patients, however, were they associated with histologically proven osteomalacia. By using the combination of hypocalcaemia and a raised alkaline phosphatase it is possible to identify a subgroup (approximately 10% of all admissions) in whom osteomalacia is relatively likely.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, England.
authors: T J
authors: TJ
authors: Wilton
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Hosking
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Pawley
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Stevens
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Harvey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010018:Osteomalacia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium