Osteoporosis Flashcards
Significant causes for decrease in bone mass
- Age
- Menopause
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Medication use
What drugs can cause osteoporosis?
- Glucocorticoids
- Immunosuppressants
- Anti-seizure medications
Clinical presentation of osteoporosis
- Asymptomatic
- Undiagnosed until presented with fragility fracture
Common sites of fragility fracture
- Spine (vertebral compression: height loss, kyphosis)
- Hip (neck of femur, intertronchanteric)
- Wrist
- Humerus
- Pelvis
Goals of treatment
- Prevent fracture
- Improve QoL
- Reduce economic burden
Who are considered for BMD screening?
- Post-menopausal women
- Men >65 years old
Especially if risk factors are present
What tool can be used to detect women’s osteoporosis risk?
OSTA = age in years - weight in kg
In OSTA, what is considered high risk?
> 20 → consider DXA
In OSTA, what is considered medium risk?
0-20 → consider DXA if any other risk factors present
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
- History of fragility fracture
OR - BMD measurement using DXA
What does BMD T-score compare against?
Young adult reference population
What dose BMD Z-score compare against?
Expected BMD for patient’s age and sex
What is the significance of BMD Z-score ≥ -2?
Coexisting problems (e.g. alcoholism, GC therapy) that can contribute to osteoporosis
What BMD score represents osteoporosis?
T-score ≤ -2.5 SD
What BMD score represents osteopenia?
T-score -1 to -2.5 SD
What BMD score represents normal bone density?
T-score ≥ -1 SD
Risk factors for BMD screening
- Family history of osteoporosis or fragility fracture
- Previous fragility fracture
- Ageing
- Low body weight
- Height loss (>2cm within 3 years)
- Early menopause
- Medications
- Smoking
Clinical risk factors for FRAX
- Age
- Sex
- Weight
- Height
- Previous fracture
- Parent fractured hip
- Current smoking
- Glucocorticoids (current or >3 months PO Prednisolone >5mg OD)
- RA
- Secondary osteoporosis
- Alcohol 3 or more units/day
- BMD