Calcified tissue international
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Calcif. Tissue Int. · Dec 2003
Comparative StudyDiscriminatory ability of quantitative ultrasound measurements is similar to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in a Brazilian women population with osteoporotic fracture.
The discriminating ability and relevance of clinical risk factors, quantitative ultrasound (QUS) variables, X-ray-based bone mineral density (BMD) and hip axis length (HAL) measurements to evaluate the risk of osteoporotic fracture in elderly Brazilian women were examined in this study. QUS at the calcaneus (Achilles +, Lunar), HAL and BMD measurements (DPX-L, Lunar) at several anatomical sites were performed in 275 postmenopausal Caucasian women. Patients with suspected secondary osteoporosis were excluded. ⋯ The ability of QUS measurements discriminate between patients with fractures from those without was similar to, if not better, than X-ray-based BMD measurements. However, a combination of QUS and BMD measurements did not significantly improve fracture discrimination compared with either technique alone. Association of clinical risk factors with QUS or BMD measurements seems, on the other hand, to increase the sensibility to identify patients at risk of osteoporotic fractures.