Abstract
Objectives
Osteoporosis is a debilitating condition with rising frequency of fragility fractures with advancing age. Life expectancy increases in developing societies with the emergence of osteoporosis. There is a need for a simple protocol to diagnose fractures that merit treatment for osteoporosis.
Methods
Evaluation of all consecutive lateral chest radiographs performed at the National Hospital in the capital city in Greenland over a 3-month period for vertebral body heights at the anterior, middle and posterior regions. Use of anti-osteoporotic drug was evaluated from records of dispensed drugs from Greenland National Pharmacy.
Results
1869 vertebrae were evaluated on radiographs from 203 subjects. On average 9.2 vertebrae (range 5–13) qualified for evaluation in each individual. Median (range) age was 55 (30–82) years. Any vertebral deformity above 25 (20) % was seen in 28.6 (50.2) %. More than one fracture was seen in 10.3 (27.1) %. Fractures occurred in 18.5 (36.9) % of patients from the General Medicine Clinic and in 33.3 (56.5) % of inpatients (p = 0.029). The occurrence of vertebral fractures increased with age (p < 0.001) and hosting more than one vertebral fracture was markedly more frequent after the age of 60 years [OR, 95 % CI 9.6, 3.1–30 (5.7, 2.9–11); p < 0.001] after correction for gender in logistic regressions. The National Pharmacy handed out anti-osteoporotic drugs equal to the treatment of 36 individuals.
Conclusions
Vertebral fractures that merit treatment can be readily diagnosed from lateral chest radiographs taken in routine clinical work-up. They are common in Greenland as demonstrated by this simple protocol to improve diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in a developing society.
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Acknowledgments
The study was supported by grants from Greenland Government and Karen Elise Jensen foundation.
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Sørensen, V.N., Wojtek, P., Pedersen, D.S. et al. An efficient case finding strategy to diagnose osteoporosis in a developing society with low treatment frequency. J Endocrinol Invest 38, 841–847 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0343-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0343-2