Osteoporosis Underdiagnosed, Undertreated in Elderly

A closer look at the conventional chest x-ray could help detect osteoporosis in older adults not earlier diagnosed with the disease, according to a new study.

Investigators said they reached this conclusion after assessing hundreds of chest x-rays for fractures of the vertebrae, the most typical bone fracture linked with osteoporosis but one that clinicians observed in only approximately one-third of patients.

"The most noteworthy finding in our study is the magnitude of the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of osteoporosis in elderly patients with a vertebral fracture,” stated researchers from the University of Alberta Hospital (Edmonton, CA) in at report in the April 25, 2005, issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

In 2001, the researchers conducted a cohort study with a random sample of 500 patients older than 60 years old who had gone to the emergency room and underwent chest radiography for any indication. Even though one is six older adults who had chest-x-rays had "clinically important vertebral fractures,” only approximately 60% of these breaks were observed in the patient's records and only 25% of those with fractures were detected or treated for osteoporosis, according to the researchers.

The scientists noted that earlier studies demonstrated as many as 25% of individuals aged 50-60 have one or more osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures. Only approximately 30% of those fractures are reported to a physician, whereas the other 70% go on to cause decreased quality of life, illness, and increase risk of more fractures, the scientist reported.






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