title: [Clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis].
abstract: Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic heterogenic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. The fractures are the clinical consequences of the disease. Before fractures occur there is a long period without clinical significance characterised only by osteopenia. Both sexes lose bone mass during lifetime but after menopause women lose bone much faster and are more prone to fragility fractures. Wrist fractures (Colles fractures) occur in the earliest postmenopausal period in the fifth decade of a woman's life, and these fractures are 7 times more frequent in women than in men. Vertebral fractures occur 10-15 years after the menopause. Only 10-20% of these cases are hospitalized because of pain, and up to 80% of the cases are clinically symptomless. Kyphosis and loss of height come in later years. The most serious fractures are those of the hip. They usually occur over the age of 70 and bring 8-10% hospital mortality, about 20% mortality in the following year, and 50% disability over the age of 80. The diagnosis of primary OP requires the exclusion of all possible secondary causes of OP. In the diagnosis of OP a medical history with risk factor of OP is very important, as well as physical examination, and some laboratory tests. X-ray bone evaluation and the bone densitometric measurements are very important in confirming of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: II Oddziału Wewnetrznego Szpitala Kolejowego w Warszawie.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoszowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology