Bone Abstracts

Objective: It was to determine the prevalence of clinical risk factors for osteoporosis in medical inpatients.

Method: Data was collected on a patient questionnaire through a point prevalence study targeting patients aged 50 and above.

Results: 117 patients (62 females and 55 males) met the age criteria. Non-modifiable risk factors were white/Caucasian race (100%), age 75 years and above (66%), female sex (53%), previous fragility fracture (14%) family history of osteoporosis and fragility fractures (3.4%). Potentially modifiable risk factors were restricted mobility (54%), low BMI (28.2%), frequent falls (17%), smoking (14.5%), excess alcohol use (7.7%). Secondary causes of osteoporosis (58%) were chronic kidney disease (21%), insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (6.8%), rheumatoid arthritis (5.9%), hormone therapy for breast cancer/prostate cancer (4.3%), inflammatory bowel disease (4.3%), chronic liver disease (4.3%), hyperthyroidism (1.7%), hyperparathyroidism (0.85%), premature menopause (0.85%) and Paget’s disease of bone (0.85%). 11% were on long term oral steroids. 100% of study population had at least two risk factors. 71% were at high risk for osteoporosis with more than three risk factors.

Conclusion: Our study shows that clinical risk factors for osteoporosis are common. Majority of them had multiple risk factors. Screening hospitalised patients for osteoporosis can be utilised as an additional opportunity to identify and treat the disease and thereby reduce the burden of osteoporosis related falls and fractures. Ideally, all the patients at high risk clinically should be offered further assessment for osteoporosis. The literature suggests an additive effect for risk factors and guides us to prioritise patients who would need a DEXA scan thus enabling an efficient use of scarce resources.