[Secondary prevention in osteoporotic fractures. The GIOS project].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this report is to describe and evaluate the results of a secondary prevention program in osteoporotic fractures in 70 Spanish hospitals. This project was started to improve the treatment of these fractures, with the inhospital implementation of software collecting epidemiological data on patients with osteoporotic fractures.


METHODS
A prospective case study was conducted between March 2003 and March 2006 involving a consecutive sample of 24,534 patients with established fragility fracture seen in 70 hospitals. The study exclusion criterion was secondary osteoporotic fracture. The project consists of implementing software in hospitals, designed to collect such epidemiological data among these patients. Based on this information and on the published scientific evidence, the software automatically generates drug therapy recommendations and non pharmacologic measures of prevention to be included in the discharge report.


RESULTS
The number of patients with osteoporotic fractures included in the program totalled 24,534 subjects. Of these patients, only 22.7% were receiving treatment for osteoporosis. Implementation of the program made it possible to discharge 19,033 patients (77.6%) with prescribed treatment, but in only 15,153 patients (61.8%) the treatment was correct.


CONCLUSIONS
The GIOS project has proved effective in increasing the identification of fragility fractures and improve the percentage of secondary prevention measures, both pharmacological and non pharmacological, for patients with these fractures.
Herrera
Antonio
A
Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España. herrera@salud.aragon.es
Carpintero
Pedro
P
Fernández-Pérez
Cristina
C
Hernández-Vaquero
Daniel
D
Martínez
Angel A
AA
Suso
Santiago
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention