Comparison of effect of treatment with etidronate and alendronate on lumbar bone mineral density in elderly women with osteoporosis

The purpose of this open-labeled prospective study was to compare the treatment effects of cyclical etidronate and alendronate on the lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), bone resorption, and back pain in elderly women with osteoporosis. Fifty postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, age ranging from 55 to 86 years (mean: 70.7 years), were randomly divided into two groups with 25 patients in each group: the cyclical etidronate group (etidronate 200 mg daily for 2 weeks every 3 months) and the alendronate group (5 mg daily). The BMD of the lumbar spine (L1-L4) measured by DXA, the urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX) level measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and back pain evaluated by the face scale score were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics including age, body mass index, years since menopause, lumbar BMD, urinary NTX level, and face scale score between the two treatment groups. Etidronate treatment sustained the lumbar BMD following a reduction in the urinary NTX level and improved back pain, while alendronate treatment reduced the urinary NTX level more significantly, resulting in an increase in the lumbar BMD, and similarly improved back pain. No serious adverse events were observed in either group. This study confirmed that alendronate treatment had a greater efficacy than etidronate treatment in increasing the lumbar BMD through the reduction of bone resorption in elderly women with osteoporosis.     

Prevalence of knee pain and its influence on quality of life and physical function in the Korean elderly population: a community based cross-sectional study

To investigate the prevalence of knee pain and its influence on physical function and quality of life (QOL), we examined 504 community residents of Chuncheon, aged ≥ 50 yr. Demographic information was obtained by questionnaire, and radiographic evaluations consisted of weight-bearing semi-flexed knee anteroposterior radiographs. Self-reported QOL and function were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index and Short Form 12 (SF-12). Performance-based lower extremity function was assessed using the tests consisting of standing balance, usual walk and chair stands. The prevalence of knee pain was 46.2% (32.2% in men and 58.0% in women) and increased with age in women. After adjustment of confounders including the presence of knee OA, the subjects with knee pain had significantly worse WOMAC function and SF-12 scores compared to subjects without knee pain. Among the subjects with knee pain, women had worse WOMAC and SF-12 scores than men. Subjects with knee pain had worse physical performance score compared to those without knee pain, especially among females. In conclusion, the prevalence of knee pain is high (32.2% in men and 58.0% in women) in this elderly community population in Korea. Independent of knee OA and other confounding factors, subjects with knee pain have more than 5-fold increase in the risk of belonging to the worst lower extremity function compared to subjects without knee pain.     

Osteoporosis screening is unjustifiably low in older African-American women

BACKGROUND: More than one million Americans suffer osteoporotic fractures yearly, resulting in a marked increase in morbidity and mortality. Despite a decrease in bone mineral density with increasing age in all ethnic groups and both genders, preventative and therapeutics efforts in osteoporosis have been focused on caucasian and Asian women. This study assesses the osteoporosis screening practices and the frequency of low bone density in a primarily African-American population of older women. METHODS: Medical records of 252 women at risk for osteoporosis were reviewed for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, prior osteoporosis screening, prior breast cancer screening, and the use of calcium, vitamin D or estrogen. Subsequently, 128 women were assessed for risk factors for osteoporosis, and their bone mineral density was measured using a peripheral bone densitometer. RESULTS: Osteoporosis screening had been performed in 11.5% of the subjects. Of the women evaluated by peripheral bone densitometry, 44.5% of all women, 40.4% of African-American women, and 53.3% of caucasian women had abnormally low bone density measurements. The frequency of abnormal bone density increased with both increasing age and decreasing body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Although few women in this population were previously screened for osteoporosis, low bone density occurred in African-American women at substantial rates. Increasing age and low body mass are important risk factors for low bone density in African-American women. Ethnicity should not be used as an exclusion criterion for screening for osteoporosis.     

Bone Mineral Density and Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Korean Women with Low-Energy Distal Radius Fractures

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bone mineral density and the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women with low-energy distal radius fractures and compared with those of aged-matched normal Korean women. Two hundred and six patients with distal radius fractures between March 2006 and March 2010 were included in this study. Patients were divided into three groups by age; group 1 (50-59 years), group 2 (60-69 years), and group 3 (70-79 years). Controls were age-matched normal Korean women. The bone mineral density values at all measured sites, except for the spine, were significantly lower in group 1 than those of control. While the bone mineral density values in group 2 and 3 were lower than those of controls, these differences were not statistically significant. All groups had significantly higher prevalence of osteoporosis at the Ward’s triangle; however, at the spine, femoral neck and trochanteric area it was not significantly different from those of age-matched controls. Although the prevalence of osteoporosis of the postmenopausal women with low-energy distal radius fractures may not be higher than that of the control, osteoporosis should be evaluated especially in younger postmenopausal patients to prevent other osteoporotic hip and/or spine fractures.     

老年髋部骨折后对侧髋部的再骨折

背景：老年髋部骨折后发生对侧髋部再骨折数目在逐年增加。 目的：阐述老年髋部骨折后对侧髋部再骨折的临床特征,提高对再次对侧髋部骨折的认识。 方法：于2001-01/2011-07对老年单侧髋部骨折患者567例和老年再发对侧髋部骨折患者30例,分析再发对侧骨折病例的发生率、骨折类型、年龄、性别、骨密度、骨质疏松、再骨折时间间隔和合并症。 结果与结论：单侧髋部骨折与再发对侧髋部骨折患者年龄、性别比例和骨密度值接近。老年髋部骨折患者中,对侧髋部再骨折发生率为5.0%。转子间骨折再发对侧髋部骨折率高于股骨颈骨折再发对侧髋部骨折率(P=0.018)。再发对侧骨折组骨质疏松发生率高于单侧骨折组(P=0.032)。初次骨折后发生对侧骨折的间隔时间平均2.4年,其中1年发生的最多,占40.1%。提示老年髋部骨折患者对侧髋部再骨折发生率较高,对于伴有骨质疏松和合并症的转子间骨折患者在术后1年内应加强预防,防止对侧髋部骨折的再次发生。 关键词：再发对侧髋部骨折;髋部骨折;股骨颈骨折;转子间骨折;骨密度;骨质疏松 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2012.04.042     

Prevalence of fractures among 10,000 women from the 1900 to 1940 birth cohorts resident in Gothenburg.

The prevalence of fractures in women aged 45-86 years resident in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, was investigated by means of a postal questionnaire. A sample of 10,000 women from seven birth cohorts (1900-1940) was obtained at random from the population register. The response rate was 70.1% in the 1900-1920 and 81.0% in the 1930 and 1940 birth cohorts. When the prevalence of fractures sustained between 25 and 46 years of age was analyzed a higher figure emerged for women from the 1930 and 1940 birth cohorts than for those from the 1900-1920 cohorts, indicating an increasing incidence of fractures over time. There was a significant independent correlation between early menopausal age and a high rate of fractures. Menopausal age decreased with increasing tobacco consumption. There was also a significant independent correlation between tobacco-smoking and a high fracture rate. The prevalence of tobacco-smoking increased from 30.0 to 38.1% between the 1930 and 1940 birth cohorts, which may further increase the fracture risk in future years. Despite increasing vitality and longevity among the elderly in Gothenburg, there are indications that the number of fractures will increase in the future.     

Occupational and nonoccupational risk indicators for incident and chronic low back pain in a sample of the swedish general population during a 4-year period: An influence of depression?

The objectives of this study were to examine the relation between occupational and nonoccupational conditions and both incident (IBLP) and chronic low back pain (CLBP), aswellasdepression, among women and men. Data from a4-year follow-up of a study group consisting of 420 participants of both genders from the general Swedish population were analysed. Occupational risk indicators were predictors for both ILBP and CLBP. Depression was not found to be a predictor for either IBLP or CLBP among women, but was a predictor for CLBP among men. Among women, depression had some risk indicators in common with ILBP and appeared to be a concurrent outcome rather than a risk indicator. Low back pain in 1993 was not a predictor for depression in 1997 in either women or men. Occupational conditions are of relevance in relation to both incident and CLBP. Nonoccupational conditions were stronger predictors for CLBP than for ILBP but had some predictive value also for ILBP.     

Knee Pain and Its Severity in Elderly Koreans: Prevalence,Risk Factors and Impact on Quality of Life

This study investigated the epidemiology (prevalence, risk factors, and impact on quality of life) of knee pain and its severity in elderly Koreans. The subjects (n=3,054) were participants aged ≥50 yr from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted in 2010. Knee pain was defined as pain in the knee lasting ≥30 days during the most recent 3 months; severity was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. EQ-5D was used to measure quality of life. The prevalence of knee pain was 23.1% (11.7% in men, 31.9% in women). The prevalences of mild, moderate, and severe knee pain were 4.3%, 9.1%, and 9.7%, respectively (2.8%, 5.4%, and 3.5% in men and 5.4%, 12.0%, and 14.4% in women). Old age, female gender, a low level of education, a manual occupation, obesity, and radiographic osteoarthritis were risk factors for knee pain, and were associated with increased severity of knee pain. Excluding men with mild knee pain, people with knee pain had significantly lower quality of life than those without knee pain. Early interventional approaches are needed to reduce the medical, social, and economic burden of knee pain in elderly Koreans.     

Subclinical Hypothyroidism has Little Influences on Muscle Mass or Strength in Elderly People

Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass, affects the muscle strength and muscle quality, and these changes decrease functional capacity. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction increases with age, and changes in thyroid hormone level lead to neuromuscular deficits. We investigated the effects of subclinical hypothyroidism on the muscle mass, strength or quality in elderly people. One thousand one hundred eighteen subjects aged ≥65 yr were randomly selected from a local population and classified into a euthyroid (280 men and 358 women), subclinically hypothyroid (61 men and 75 women), or overtly hypothyroid (7 men and 16 women) group. Although women with subclinical hypothyroidism had a higher prevalence of sarcopenia, defined according to the ratio of appendicular skeletal muscle mass to the square of height, muscle mass, strength or quality did not differ in relation to thyroid status in men or in women. Multivariate analysis including age, diabetes, hypertension, acute coronary event, alcohol, smoking, presence of pain, physical activity score, and lipid profile, showed that thyroid-stimulating hormone level was not associated with muscle mass, strength or quality. In conclusion, subclinical hypothyroidism has little influences on muscle mass, strength or quality, and may not be associated with sarcopenia.     

PIXI bone density screening for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate a pragmatic screening programme for osteoporosis based on the identification of known risk factors. A secondary aim was to assess the validity of peripheral instantaneous X-ray imager (PIXI) scanning against dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in women identified as having osteopenia. METHODS: A cross-sectional two stage screening programme. The study was carried out in 14 practices in Surrey. Women aged 60-80 years of age were screened with a questionnaire. Those identified with one or more risk factors were offered a PIXI scan of the ankle in their own surgery. Those with an intermediate score on PIXI scan were offered a DEXA scan of hip, spine and forearm. RESULTS: Four thousand six hundred and forty-six women completed questionnaires, 2688 had a PIXI scan and 553 were found to be at high risk of osteoporosis. Multivariate analysis identified the three most important risk factors associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fracture as age, a previous fracture and the presence of a stooped posture. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was shown to be protective. Twenty three percent of women with an intermediate score on PIXI scan were found to have osteoporosis on DEXA scan of hip and spine. CONCLUSIONS: PIXI scanning proved acceptable, practicable but only had moderate comparability with DEXA. The findings suggest that patients over the age of 60 years with a history of a fracture or evidence of spinal collapse are likely to have osteoporosis and should be offered screening. HRT past the menopause would seem to confer benefit and the recent reduction in its use may lead to increasing numbers of women suffering osteoporotic fractures.     

Gender differences in depression and chronic pain conditions in a national epidemiologic survey

The authors explored gender differences in the prevalence of depression in four chronic pain conditions and pain severity indices in a national database. In 131,535 adults, the prevalence of depression in women (9.1%) was almost twice that of men (5%). One-third (32.8%) had a chronic pain condition (fibromyalgia, arthritis/rheumatism, back problems, and migraine headaches). The prevalence of depression in individuals with chronic pain conditions was 11.3%, versus 5.3% in those without. Women reported higher rates of chronic pain conditions and depression and higher pain severity than men. Depression and chronic pain conditions represent significant sources of disability, especially for women.     

Back pain in in-vitro fertilized and spontaneous pregnancies

The influence of ovarian stimulation in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) on the prevalence of back pain with onset during pregnancy was studied in 31 women who became pregnant after IVF treatment and compared with that of 200 spontaneously pregnant women. A two times higher prevalence rate of sacral pain in late pregnancy was reported among IVF pregnant women (P < 0.0001), as well as a significantly higher prevalence rate of positive results of pelvic pain provocation tests performed in late pregnancy (0.0001 < or = P < or = 0.015), as compared with that of the spontaneously pregnant women. Among the IVF pregnant women, there was a significant positive correlation between relaxin concentrations in early pregnancy and the outcome of pelvic pain provocation tests (0.44 < or = r < or = 0.51, P < 0.05). In addition, the serum relaxin concentration was the factor that best explained differences in sacral pain prevalence. When the influence of serum relaxin concentration on back pain prevalence was taken into account, women carrying multiple pregnancies had no more pain than women carrying singletons, and IVF pregnant women had no more pain than spontaneously pregnant women. These results support the hypothesis that relaxin is involved in the generation of pelvic pain in pregnant women.      

Gender differences in fracture risk and bone mineral density

We have investigated gender-related differences of bone mineral density and fracture threshold in 136 males (age, 60.7±9.3 years) and 337 females (age, 59.7±7.8 years) without evidence of secondary osteoporosis. Women and men were examined for total amount of spine fractures and bone mineral density by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) of three non-fractured vertebral bodies L1–L5. Females with lumbar fractures (n=96) when compared with non-fracture women (n=241) were older and had lower bone density at their vertebral sites. Males with vertebral fractures (n=52) were older and had a significantly reduced bone mineral density of the spine when compared with healthy males (n=84). When we compared gender-related vertebral fracture rates, we observed a significantly higher prevalence of vertebral fractures in the male population. After matching males and females for age and bone mineral density to exclude an influence of either variable, we compared the prevalence of vertebral fracture risk in both sexes with logistic regression analysis. Data of estimated fracture risk, differed very significantly for sex and bone density at the vertebral site, indicating that men present fracture at a higher bone density level compared with females; in 10% of study population fractures occurred at a QCT level of 105 mg/cm³ in women and 120 mg/cm³ in men. The estimated odds ratio for sex of 3.1 (95% CI) means a three-fold increased risk for vertebral fractures compared to males at a given density level. These results underline that a decreased bone mineral density leads to the occurrence of spine fractures in females and males as well.     

Return of depressed men: changes in distribution of depression and symptom cases in Norway between 1990 and 2001

BACKGROUND: Women's elevated risk of depression compared to men is a common finding in psychiatric epidemiology. Studies conducted in the 1950s and 1970s, however, documented approximately equal prevalence of sex rates. AIM: This study investigated changes in depression rates between 1990 and 2001 in Norway. Further, differences in severity were examined between men and women. METHOD: A study population (later to be called OsLof) was established in 1990, supplemented in 2001, and analysed as two cross-sectional datasets to compare sex and age differences in ICD-10 diagnoses and HSCL-25> or =1.75 caseness. Organic depression and the DSM-IV Major Depressive Episode were also examined in 2001. RESULTS: There was no significant change in the prevalence of depression or HSCL-25 caseness from 1990 to 2001. However, a major shift in prevalence occurred over time within the 18-34 year old age category with significantly higher rates among younger men (1% to 10%) and lowered rates among younger women (10% to 4%). Among persons depressed, no significant differences were found for severity between the sexes. LIMITATIONS: A selection of healthier participants than found in the source population might have resulted in lower prevalence than real. CONCLUSION: There was no indication of an overall increase in depression from 1990 to 2001, neither by diagnosis nor by symptom checklist scores. However, a major shift in prevalence occurred within the 18-34 year old age category with significantly higher rates among younger men and lowered rates among younger women. No sex differences existed in terms of severity of depression.     

Identification and Treatment of Osteoporosis among Elderly Patients with Hip Fractures

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the profile of osteoporosis treatment among patients hospitalized due to hip fractures at a tertiary-level university hospital. To compare the impact of hospitalization on approaches toward treating bone mass losses.

METHOD:

The medical records of 123 hip fracture patients aged 60 years and over at the Institute of Orthopedics, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, between 2004 and 2006 were reviewed and analyzed with respect to approaches towards investigating osteoporosis and treatments before and after fracture.

RESULTS:

The patients’ mean age was 78 ± 8.3 years, and the majority were women (71.54%). The patients had a mean of 2.72 comorbidities and used 3.26 medications on average. Among these patients, 12.3% reported a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis, and 5.83% were on medication for this. The mean waiting time for surgery was 6.3 ± 7.54 days, and seven patients (5.7%) died during the hospitalization. There were no investigations using bone densitometry, no changes in osteoporosis therapy between admission and discharge (p = 0.375), and no reports of referrals for the patient to have access to treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:

Investigations and treatments of osteoporosis and strategies for preventing new fractures were not implemented during the hospitalization of these elderly patients with hip fractures, even though this is the most feared complication of osteoporosis. These data need to be disseminated so that professionals dealing with elderly patients are attentive to the need for primary and secondary prevention of osteoporosis because of the impact of fractures on these patients’ quality of life, independence, morbidities, and mortality.     

Prevalence of osteoporosis,vertebral fractures and hypovitaminosis D in postmenopausal women living in a rural environment

Objectives

First, to study the difference between two groups of postmenopausal women living in different population centres (rural vs urban) in the prevalence of osteoporosis, fragility fractures and factors which may influence them: hypovitaminosis D, bone mineral density, coexistence of other diseases which predispose to their appearance; secondly, to observe the influence of low socioeconomic status, categorised as poverty.

Study design

1229 postmenopausal women were studied, of whom 390 (31.7%), were living in rural areas and 839 (68.3%), in urban areas. Data regarding risk factors related to osteoporosis were obtained, and, among other biochemical measures, 25 hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone were determined. Bone densitometry was carried out in the lumbar spine and proximal femur, as well as lateral X-rays of the dorsal and lumbar spine.

Results

The women who lived in rural areas were older, shorter, heavier and had a higher body mass index than those from urban areas. Among the women from rural areas there was a higher prevalence of poverty, and higher levels of obesity, arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus were observed, as well as a higher prevalence of densitometric osteoporosis. The rural women had lower values of bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and a higher prevalence of vertebral fractures and hypovitaminosis D. The variables which were associated independently with living in rural areas were poverty, obesity, vertebral fractures, BMD in the lumbar spine and levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D.

Conclusions

In our study, postmenopausal women who live in rural populations have more poverty, lower values of vitamin D, lower BMD in the lumbar spine and a higher prevalence of vertebral fractures and of osteoporosis. The higher prevalence of obesity, arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus observed in these women may be adjuvant factors, all fostered by their socioeconomic state of poverty.     

Hematological indices and the prevalence of anemia in an elderly Chinese population

Hematological indices were determined in a group of 427 elderly Chinese subjects over 60 years old; reference ranges were established after excluding subjects with hemoglobinopathies or diseases giving rise to anemia and those with values less or greater than 3 SD from the mean. The values were similar to those for elderly Caucasians. All the red cell indices were significantly higher in men than women, possibly reflecting the influence of androgens on bone marrow function. Previously reported age-related decline in hemoglobin, red cell count and hematocrit from studies of all age groups was not seen in men or women above age 60 years, but a fall in platelet count with age, which had not been previously reported, was observed. There were no age-related changes in any other indices. Reference ranges were lower for Hb, MCV, and MCH in men and women, compared to those derived from a study of Chinese of all age groups. The prevalence of anemia due to disease and hemoglobinpathies in this population was 6.4% in men and 6.3% in women.     

Aging with a disability: a systematic review of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis among women aging with a physical disability

Compared to men, women live longer but experience greater morbidity as they age. However, little is known about the rapidly growing population of women aging with disability. Women aging with disabilities may encounter barriers that increase risk of morbidity, including lack of access to medical care or inadequate assistance, equipment, or services. To evaluate risks of morbidity in this group, we conducted a systematic review focused on two important and prevalent conditions: cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis. MEDLINE was searched for reports published between January 1, 1990 and August 6, 2010 and additional studies were identified through searches of bibliographies. 9156 abstracts and 93 articles were reviewed to identify empirical studies of women with physical disability who were 45 years or older and that reported CVD or osteoporosis as an outcome and not a cause of the disability. Articles meeting inclusion criteria were then critically appraised to exclude poor quality studies. In seven articles that evaluated CVD outcomes, we found limited evidence to support an increased risk of prevalence of CVD or risk factors for CVD in women aging with physical disabilities compared to non-disabled control populations. The literature is limited by small sample sizes that reduced statistical power to detect true differences. No articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified to evaluate osteoporosis risk in this group. This review is limited by the narrow focus on physical disabilities and two health outcomes. Additional high quality empirical research is necessary to understand the risks to health of women aging with disabilities.