title: Prescription of anti-osteoporosis medications after hospitalization for hip fracture: a multicentre Italian survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Literature data indicate that the proportion of patients with recent hip fracture who receive a prescription for anti-osteoporotic drugs is low and does not seem to increase over time. This study aimed to obtain data on the prescription for anti-osteoporotic drugs in Italian patients discharged after a recent hip fracture and to assess which variables could have influenced the decision for prescribing osteoporosis medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of four Italian centres located in four different geographical areas (Siena, Verona, Naples and Palermo) participated in this retrospective study. In each centre, experienced clinicians gathered the data of up to 200 consecutive patients discharged after a recent low-trauma hip fracture. The analysis was carried out on 697 patients (540 women and 157 men; mean age 81.9 ± 8.6 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of patients who were receiving any type of treatment for osteoporosis before the hip fracture was 8.8% (ranging from 2.4% in Naples to 17.4% in Verona). After the index hip fracture, only 23.2% of patients (namely 10.5% of men and 27.2% of women) received prescription for any pharmacological treatments for osteoporosis. Both female gender and previous use of medications for osteoporosis were positively associated with the likelihood of receiving prescription for anti-osteoporotic treatment at discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that less than 25% of the elderly Italian patients discharged after a hip fracture received a prescription for any type of treatment for osteoporosis and highlights the urgent need for implementing new strategies in the management of hip fracture patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy. gonnelli@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonnelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caffarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iolascon
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, and Department of Neurological Sciences and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertoldo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Oncology Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Letizia Mauro
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Ranuccio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nuti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents
keywords: Anti-osteoporotic drugs; Ca/vitamin D supplements; Comorbidities; Hip fracture