title: Improving compliance to osteoporosis workup and treatment in postmenopausal patients after a distal radius fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Distal radius fracture (DRF) in postmenopausal women is often the first clinical sign of osteoporosis (OP). Despite the availability of effective treatments, only a minority of patients who sustain a fragility fracture are tested for OP. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a simple intervention by the hospital staff increases rates of OP workup.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective randomized clinical trial. Ninety nine patients after DRF were randomized to two groups. Both groups were contacted after their fracture and were asked to answer a questionnaire and were informed about the possible relationship between DRF and OP. In the intervention group, patients were sent an explanatory pamphlet and a letter to their primary care physician. An additional survey was conducted to establish whether the intervention improved the number of patients who undergo OP workup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention increased the proportion of patients who turned to their primary care physician from 22.9% to 68.6%, and increased the proportion of patients undergoing OP workup from 14.3% to 40% (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with DRF who receive an explanation about possible OP implications and are sent explanatory materials are more likely to undergo OP workup.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: kessousr@bgu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kessous
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mattan
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Service, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Rivka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dresner-Pollak
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Quality and Safety, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Mayer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brezis
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liebergall
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kandel
mesh_terms: D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D010174:Pamphlets; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017698:Postmenopause; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000209:etiology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation
chemical_list: D002792:Cholestyramine Resin
keywords: distal radius fracture; menopause; osteoporosis