Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA
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Multicenter Study
Low-energy distal radius fractures in middle-aged and elderly men and women--the burden of osteoporosis and fracture risk : A study of 1794 consecutive patients.
One third of 218 men and half of 1,576 women with low-energy distal radius fractures met the bone mineral density (BMD) criteria for osteoporosis treatment. A large proportion of patients with increased fracture risk did not have osteoporosis. Thus, all distal radius fracture patients >or=50 years should be referred to bone densitometry. ⋯ Every second to every third fracture patient met the present BMD criteria for osteoporosis treatment. Because a large proportion of distal radius fracture patients did not have osteoporosis, treatment decisions should not be based on fracture risk assessment without bone densitometry. Thus, all distal radius fracture patients >or=50 years should be referred to bone densitometry, and if indicated, offered medical treatment.