title: Undertreatment of osteoporosis in persons with dementia? A population-based study.
abstract: In this population-based study of more than 2,600 elderly, people with dementia received less preventive treatment for osteoporosis compared to people without dementia, although osteoporotic fractures were more common in patients with dementia. Thus, our results indicate an undertreatment of osteoporosis in dementia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study compares the use of osteoporosis drugs in elderly with and without dementia, taking into account osteoporotic fractures and type of housing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the baseline examination (2001-2004) of The Swedish National Study on Aging and Care- Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), Stockholm, Sweden. Participants were aged ≥ 66 years (n = 2610). We analysed the use of bisphosphonates, raloxifene, and calcium/vitamin D combinations in relation to clinically based dementia diagnosis. Information about osteoporotic fractures during the previous 4 years was obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register. We used logistic regression to analyze the association between dementia status and use of osteoporosis drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Osteoporosis drugs (mainly calcium/vitamin D combinations) were used by 5% of the persons with dementia and 12% of the persons without dementia. Furthermore, 25% of the persons with dementia and 7% of the persons without dementia had had at least one osteoporotic fracture during the past 4 years. After controlling for age, sex, osteoporotic fractures, and type of housing (own home or institution), persons with dementia were less likely to use osteoporosis drugs than persons without dementia (OR = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.19-0.59).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate an undertreatment of osteoporosis in persons with dementia, although osteoporotic fractures are common among these patients.
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 113 30 Stockholm, Sweden. Ylva.Haasum@ki.se
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Haasum
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fastbom
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fratiglioni
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents