Osteoporosis in patients with a low-energy fracture: 3 years of screening in an osteoporosis outpatient clinic.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of osteoporosis in the Netherlands is 52 per 1,000 men and 166 per 1,000 women (age >55 years). Previous results of an osteoporosis screening program showed that 55%, 41%, and 37.1% had osteoporosis. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of osteoporosis after low-energy fractures and to describe the care program for osteoporosis screening. The second endpoint was to investigate the incidence of risk factors in the whole study population and a subgroup analysis from the three major groups with osteoporotic fractures.


METHODS
All female and male patients older than 50 years with a low-energy fracture were included for the osteoporosis screening program. Patients with a fracture of the vertebrae were also included if the age was less than 50 years. All patients underwent a bone mineral density measurement by means of dual-energy X-ray film absorptiometry. All obtained data were registered by a nurse specialist in osteoporosis, in a computerized database.


RESULTS
The incidence of osteoporosis in patients with low-energy fractures is high, 46.4%. At the time of fracture presentation, there were 33.2% of the patients with a low body weight (<67 kg), almost all osteoporotic patients (96%) had a low-energy fracture occurred after their 50th year. In patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, the hip fracture is the most common fracture site (34%), followed by the humerus (20.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, a screening program for osteoporosis is necessary and should be a tool in the armamentarium of every traumatology department.
Woltman
Kristel
K
Department of Surgery, Ikazia Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. k.woltman@ysl.nl
den Hoed
Pieter T
PT
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors