title: The outcome of bone mineral density measurements on patients referred from general practice.
abstract: The incidence of osteoporosis is increasing and the general practitioner is integral to identifying these patients. It is, therefore, of interest to characterize the referral pattern of patients scheduled for determination of bone density by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning. Altogether, 1551 scans from first-time referred women were analyzed with respect to normal bone mineral density (BMD), osteopenia, and osteoporosis as the outcome, and the results were compared with age and body mass index (BMI). Using multiple regression analysis, risk estimates for osteoporosis were calculated with respect to patient characteristics. Only 21% of the referred patients had osteoporosis and 34% had osteopenia. Of these, 24% had osteopenia and a Z-score below -1. Half of the referred patients were women less than 60 yr with a markedly low risk of osteoporosis. A BMI less than 20 kg/m(2) increased the predictive value considerably. A low BMI is a good indicator for referral of women less than 60 yr for measurements of bone density. Forty-five percent of the referred women from general practitioners had a normal BMD.
authors.affiliation: Depart of Medical Physiology/Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Section of Pathophysiology, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sofia Inez
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Lina Steinrud
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Mørch
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dela
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012017:Referral and Consultation