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Osteoporosis among Italian women at risk: The osteolab study

Year: 2011
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to identify women at high risk of having osteoporosis according to the clinical judgment of their General Practitioners, but without a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: The General Practitioners were asked to select a sample of women aged 65 years or more who could be affected by osteoporosis but had never been diagnosed nor treated: this sample included 8,268. Moreover, 8,956 women asked to be included in the study on a voluntary basis, and were analyzed separately. MEASUREMENTS: Participants were referred to a mobile unit equipped with GE Lunar Express Ultras (Achilles), where they were administered a questionnaire and underwent a QUS examination. They were classified at high, moderate or low risk of having osteoporosis according to the 2007 International Society for Clinical Densitometry official position. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of women at high risk of having osteoporosis was 12.5%; 53% were considered at moderate risk. Logistic regressions revealed that age, early age at menopause, history of fractures, dysthyroidism and smoking were associated with high and moderate risk. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that General Practitioners are able to identify women at risk of having osteoporosis, but often do not treat them, suggesting that osteoporosis in Italy is still a neglected condition. The strength of the association of risk factors is similar in women at high and medium risk: this may raise a debate on the validity of this classification in the Italian population.
DOI: 10.1007/s12603-011-0359-z
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
OpenAlex ID: W1988233509
FWCI: 0.704
Cites: 11
Cited by: 12
Related to: 10