Osteoporotic fracture: missed opportunity for intervention

Survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association

A survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association conducted in 2022 found considerable variation in care across the region. A Call to Action is proposed to improve acute care, rehabilitation and secondary fracture prevention across Asia Pacific.

PURPOSE

Fragility fractures impose a substantial burden on older people and their families, healthcare systems and national economies. The current incidence of hip and other fragility fractures across the Asia Pacific region is enormous and set to escalate rapidly in the coming decades. This publication describes findings of a survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) conducted in 2022.

METHODS

The survey was developed as a collaboration between the Asia Pacific Osteoporosis and Fragility Fracture Society and the Asia Pacific Fragility Fracture Alliance, and included questions relating to aspects of care upon presentation, during surgery and mobilisation, secondary fracture prevention, and access to specific services.

RESULTS

In total, 521 APOA members completed the survey and marked variation in delivery of care was evident. Notable findings included: Fifty-nine percent of respondents indicated that analgesia was routinely initiated in transit (by paramedics) or within 30 minutes of arrival in the Emergency Department. One-quarter of respondents stated that more than 80% of their patients underwent surgery within 48 hours of admission. One-third of respondents considered non-hip, non-vertebral fractures to merit assessment of future fracture risk. One-third of respondents reported the presence of an Orthogeriatric Service in their hospital, and less than a quarter reported the presence of a Fracture Liaison Service.

CONCLUSION

A Call to Action for all National Orthopaedic Associations affiliated with APOA is proposed to improve the care of fragility fracture patients across the region.

The global burden of fragility fractures - what are the differences, and where are the gaps

The current burden of fragility fractures is enormous, and it is set to increase rapidly in the coming decades as humankind enters a new demographic era. The purpose of this review is to consider, in different settings: • The human and economic toll of fragility fractures. • Risk factors for fragility fractures. • Current acute management of fragility fractures. • Current care gaps in both secondary and primary fracture prevention. A summary of global, regional, and national initiatives to improve the quality of care is provided, in addition to proposals for the research agenda. Systematic approaches to improve the acute care, rehabilitation and prevention of fragility fractures need to be developed and implemented rapidly and at scale in high-, middle- and low-income countries throughout the world. This must be an essential component of our response to the ageing of the global population during the remainder of the current United Nations - World Health Organization "Decade of Healthy Ageing".

Fracture liaison: A crucial tool in the fight against fragility fracture

Over the course of the first half of the 21st century the age structure of the human population will have undergone dramatic change, leading to what has been described by the Fragility Fracture Network and the International Osteoporosis Foundation as a new demographic era. In the absence of widespread implementation of systematic approaches to chronic disease management, and prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in particular, fracture rates among older people will increase significantly by mid-century. The purpose of this narrative review is to characterise the current and projected burden of fragility fractures, evaluate current gaps in delivery of best clinical practice, and summarise the literature on the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) model of care. A definition of FLS is provided, in addition to findings of systematic reviews and associated meta-analyses conducted to assess the clinical and economic benefits of FLS. Initiatives intended to enable benchmarking of the quality of care provided by FLS are reviewed, including the flagship International Osteoporosis Foundation Capture the Fracture® Programme and examples of national clinical standards for FLS from several countries. The emergence of national clinical registries to facilitate benchmarking against clinical standards is also considered. Finally, a precis is provided of several global and regional initiatives that aim to support changes in healthcare policy to provide funding, at scale, to support widespread implementation of FLS.

The Phenotype of Bone Turnover in Patients with Fragility Hip Fracture: Experience in a Fracture Liaison Service Population

Background: Hip fragility fractures are becoming one of the main health care problems in countries with an aging population. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the usefulness of bone turnover markers in patients with a hip fracture. Methods: In a cohort of 363 patients (84.1 ± 9.2 years) with hip fractures we measured 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), bone alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen β carboxy telopeptide (βCTX), and parathyroid hormone (PTH). We recorded patients’ Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and previous history of fragility fractures. Results: Vitamin D and PTH levels were inversely correlated (r = −024; p < 0.001). The prevalence of 25OHD deficiency was 57.8%, the PTH levels greater than 65 pg/mL was in 47.0 %, and in those who had βCTX values the upper limit was 61.8%. Moreover, 62% of patients with a fragility hip fracture had a history of a previous fracture. The 25OHD serum levels were inversely associated with CCI and a previous fragility fracture. On the contrary, PTH and βCTX serum levels showed a positive significant correlation with CCI and previous fragility fractures. Conclusion: This study confirmed the usefulness of a bone turnover markers assessment, along with the comorbidities and history of previous fragility fractures in order to better identify the risk of hip fracture.

Fragility fracture systems, Latin America perspective

Osteoporosis is a worldwide epidemic, affecting an average of 30% to 50% of those over 50 years of age in Latin America. Resulting from it is another epidemic, that of fragility fractures, which adversely affects morbidity and mortality of this population. Increasing in their incidence, fragility fractures are expected to occur in 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50years of age during their lifetimes. Currently, there are diagnostic and management guidelines for fragility fractures in Latin American countries, especially those for hip and spine fractures. In general, in Latin America, the quality indicators and standards for the care of these fractures vary greatly according to the health system, being suboptimal in many situations. The organization of health services is different in the different countries throughout Latin America. Common underlying characteristics, however, include the distinctions that exist in care between public and private medicine and the lack of economic resources directed to public healthcare systems from the national levels. Several important changes have been implemented in recent years, with the collaboration between national organizations and international associations such as the Fragility Fracture Network and the International Osteoporosis Foundation, aimed at improving quality standards in care and rates of morbidity and mortality in patients treated thorough fragility fracture programs. The underregistration in these programs and absence of formal national registries also contribute to a lack of recognition of the size, scope, and severity of the problem.

Incidence of fractures and clinical profile of patients following up at a Fracture Liaison Service in the city of Curitiba

Background

Osteoporotic fractures are common, and their incidence are increasing worldwide. The first fracture doubles the risk of new fractures. Despite that, up to 80% of patients with a fragility fracture are evaluated or treated to reduce the risk of new fractures.

Aims

To evaluate the results of the operation of the hospital Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) and to analyze the clinical characteristics of the patients attending the service in its first 2 years of operation and to estimate the fracture risk reduction ratio.

Methods

The FLS managed patients older than 50 years who were admitted with a low-energy trauma fracture between January 2017 and April 2018. This management consists in a full medical evaluation, nutritional and physical activity guidance, and specific osteoporosis treatment, if needed.

Results

We monitored and treated 135 patients. Forty percent of them had a previous fracture and only 20.3% of them received treatment to prevent new fractures. On Kaplan–Meier analysis, the estimated incidence of new fractures over 24 months was 12.1% (95% CI 7.2–20.8%), indicating that the percentage of patients without new fractures due to bone fragility during treatment was estimated at 87.9% (95% CI 79.2–92.8%).

Conclusions

The evaluation and treatment of patients who sustained a fragility fracture to prevent a secondary fracture is effective in reducing the risk of new fractures in high-risk patients.

Osteoporosis and fractures in women: the burden of disease

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by impaired bone microarchitecture and reduced bone mineral density (BMD) resulting in bone fragility and increased risk of fracture. In western societies, one in three women and one in five men will sustain an osteoporotic fracture in their remaining lifetime from the age of 50 years. Fragility fractures, especially of the spine and hip, commonly give rise to increased morbidity and mortality. In the five largest European countries and Sweden, fragility fractures were the cause of 2.6 million disability-adjusted life years in 2016 and the fracture-related costs increased from €29.6 billion in 2010 to €37.5 billion in 2017. In the European Union and the USA, only a small proportion of women eligible for pharmacological treatment are being prescribed osteoporosis medication. Secondary fracture prevention, using Fracture Liaison Services, can be used to increase the rates of fracture risk assessment, BMD testing and use of osteoporosis medication in order to reduce fracture numbers. Additionally, established primary prevention strategies, based on case-finding methods utilizing fracture prediction tools, such as FRAX, to identify women without fracture but with elevated risk, are recommended in order to further reduce fracture numbers.

Improving Secondary Bone Protection Prescription in Patients Admitted With a Femoral Neck Fracture

Background The socioeconomic burden caused by fragility fractures is well recognised in today's ageing society, with hip fractures making a notable contribution. There is a significant national drive for secondary-prevention bone-protection prescription given the high morbidity and mortality rates of femoral neck fractures. A Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (SMART) aim was constructed to reach the gold standard in a level 2 trauma centre, utilising the Model for Improvement methodology. Methodology Baseline data were collected for 79 consecutive patients admitted with a neck of femur fracture. A total of 14% were managed with bone-protection plans. The root cause analysis identified three elements having a major impact on the prescription of secondary bone-protection medication: the lack of awareness, education, and a structured multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach. Appropriate plan-do-study-act cycles were implemented and change audited. Results Following cycles one and two, the mean percentage of patients managed with bone-protection plans increased from 14% to 44% and 76%, respectively. A statistical process control chart demonstrated positive change for each cycle, with p-values of <0.01 and <0.001, respectively. After our final cycle, 100% of patients suffering from a femoral neck fracture were being managed with appropriate bone-protection plans according to the Royal College of Physicians' national hip fracture database. We observed 100% sustainability two years later, despite the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic service disruptions and redeployment of staff. Conclusions Departmental awareness and education played an important role in this quality improvement project. The ultimatum and sustainability intervention was 'responsibility charting' among the MDT: setting clear roles within the team to deliver better patient care.

The treatment gap after major osteoporotic fractures in Denmark 2005-2014: a combined analysis including both prescription-based and hospital-administered anti-osteoporosis medications

This study demonstrates a substantial and persistent anti-osteoporosis treatment gap in men and women ≥50 years old who sustained major osteoporotic fracture(s) between 2005 and 2014 in Denmark. This was not substantially reduced by including hospital-administered anti-osteoporosis treatments. Strengthened post-fracture organization of care and secondary fracture prevention is highly needed.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Danish anti-osteoporosis treatment gap from 2005 to 2014 in patients sustaining a major osteoporotic fracture (MOF), and to assess the impact of including hospital-administered anti-osteoporosis medications (AOM) on the treatment gap among these patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective, registry-based study, we included men and women aged 50 years or older and living in Denmark, who sustained at least one MOF between 2005 and 2014. We applied a repeated cross-sectional design to generate cohorts of patients sustaining a first MOF, hip, vertebral, humerus, or forearm fracture, respectively, within each calendar year. We evaluated the treatment gap as the proportion of patients within each cohort not receiving treatment with AOM within 1 year of the fracture. Hospital-administered AOM was identified by SKS code.

RESULTS

The treatment gap among MOF patients decreased from 85% in 2005 to 79% in 2014. The gap was smaller among hip and vertebral fracture patients as compared to humerus and forearm fracture patients, and it was smaller in women than in men. The use of hospital-administered AOM was relatively uncommon, with a maximum of 0.9% of MOF patients initiating hospital-administered AOM (in 2012). We observed substantial variations in this proportion between fracture types and gender. Hospital-administered AOM was most commonly used among vertebral fracture patients.

CONCLUSION

A significant treatment gap among patients sustaining a major osteoporotic fracture was present throughout our analysis, and including hospital-administered AOM did not significantly improve the treatment gap assessment. Improved secondary fracture prevention is urgently needed.

Assessment of previous fracture and anti-osteoporotic medication prescription in hip fracture patients

INTRODUCTION

Hip fracture prevention is an essential component in elderly patient care. History of prior fracture is a significant risk factor for subsequent hip fracture. There are variable rates of treatment for these groups of patients. The aims of this study were to make an assessment of how many hip fracture patients over a 1 year period had a previous fracture and to assess whether or not these patients were on anti-osteoporotic medication.

METHODS

Assessment on whether or not patients had a prior fracture using the national radiology imaging system checking radiology reports for all previous imaging performed. Checking patients bone health status using the hip fracture database for our hospital.

RESULTS

There were 225 hip fractures in 221 patients over a 1-year period. About 42.6% of females and 35.9% of males had a history of previous fracture. Vertebral fractures were the most common type of fracture. We found 7% of patients had a contralateral hip fracture. There were 81% of patients with prior fracture, and 71% of those without prior fracture were on anti-osteoporotic medication.

DISCUSSION

Vertebral fractures were the most common preceding fracture in hip fracture patients. There were many patients with a history of fragility fractures that were not on preventative medication. Overall there were good prescription rates of anti-osteoporotic medication. There were significantly higher rates of prescription amongst females compared with males.

Osteoporosis treatment rate following hip fracture in a community hospital

Treatment rates for osteoporosis after a major osteoporotic fracture are unacceptably low. We evaluate the effectiveness of an ortho-geriatric team (OGT) in initiating pharmacologic therapy for osteoporosis post-hip fracture. The OGT was able to achieve a higher treatment rate for patients post-hip fracture in comparison to usual care provided by the primary care hospitalist. Potential reasons for delaying or not proceeding with drug therapy include patient concern regarding potential rare side effects of antiresorptive therapy including osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fracture. These events however are rare, and in this study, only 3% of hip fractures were atypical femoral fractures.

INTRODUCTION

Currently, a significant care gap for osteoporosis therapy exists post-hip fracture despite advances in pharmacologic therapy. We evaluate the effectiveness of the OGT at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH), Ontario, Canada, in reducing the care gap and initiating pharmacologic therapy in hip fracture patients prior to hospital discharge. We also evaluated the incidence of atypical femoral fracture (AFF) separately.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients 59 years and older with a hip fracture admitted to OTMH from January 1, 2016, to February 1, 2017, was conducted. The primary outcome was the proportion of hip fracture patients discharged from the hospital with appropriate treatment for their underlying osteoporosis. A sub-analysis was completed reporting the incidence of AFF among older adults.

RESULTS

A total of 197 patients with a hip fracture were identified, 134/197 (68%) patients were seen by the OGT, 98/134 (73%) of these patients were started on pharmacologic therapy prior to discharge, and 120/134 (89%) of patients seen by the OGT were on treatment within 3 months of discharge following assessment in the complex osteoporosis clinic. Sixty-three patients of the 197 (63/197) (32%) of the hip fracture patients were seen by a hospitalist, and treatment rates prior to discharge were 5%. Only 6/197 patients had experienced an AFF during the study period, and all patients with an atypical femoral fracture had been on long-term bisphosphonate therapy. All of the patients with an AFF had thigh or groin pain for several weeks to months prior to the development of the atypical femoral fracture, providing an opportunity to stop therapy and possibly prevent the development of a complete AFF.

CONCLUSION

The OGT was able to initiate anti-osteoporosis therapy in significantly more patients in comparison to usual care, and higher treatment rates are possible with an OGT.

How does deprivation influence secondary care costs after hip fracture?

We studied the association between deprivation and healthcare costs after hip fracture. Hospital costs in the year following hip fracture were £1120 higher for those living in more deprived areas. Most of this difference was explained by pre-existing health inequalities which should be targeted to reduce this disparity.

INTRODUCTION

To quantify differences in hospital costs following hip fracture between those living in higher and lower deprivation areas of England, we investigate pre- and post-fracture variables that explain the association.

METHODS

We used English Hospital Episodes Statistics linked to the National Hip Fracture Database (April 2011-March 2015) and national mortality data to identify patients admitted with hip fracture aged 60+ years. Hospital care was costed using 2017/2018 national reference costs, by index of multiple deprivation quintile. Three generalised linear model regressions estimated associations between deprivation and costs and the pre- and post-fracture variables that mediate this relationship.

RESULTS

Patients from the most deprived areas had higher hospital costs in the year post-fracture (£1,120; 95% CI £993 to £1,247) than those from the least deprived areas. If all patients could have incurred similar costs to those in the least deprived quintile, this would equate to an annual reduction in expenditure of £28.8 million. Pre-fracture characteristics, particularly comorbidities and anaesthetic risk grade, accounted for approximately 50% of the association between deprivation and costs. No evidence was found that post-fracture variables, such as transfer to a residential or nursing home, contributed to the association between deprivation and costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Socioeconomic inequalities are associated with substantial costs for the NHS after hip fracture. We did not identify post-fracture targets for intervention to reduce the impact of inequalities on post-fracture costs. The case for interventions to reduce comorbid conditions, improve health-related behaviours and prevent falls in deprived areas is clear but challenging to implement.

Secondary prevention of fragility fractures in Asia Pacific: an educational initiative

The Asia -Pacific Bone Academy (APBA) Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) Focus Group educational initiative has stimulated activity across the Asia -Pacific region with the intention of supporting widespread implementation of new FLS. In 2017, the APBA FLS Focus Group developed a suite of tools to support implementation of FLS across the Asia-Pacific region as a component of a multi-faceted educational initiative. This article puts this initiative into context with a narrative review describing the burden of fragility fractures in the region, the current secondary fracture prevention care gap and a summary of emerging best practice. The results of a survey to evaluate the impact of the APBA educational initiative is presented, in addition to commentary on recent activities intended to improve the care of individuals who sustain fragility fractures across the Asia -Pacific. A FLS Toolbox for Asia-Pacific was developed which included the following sections:1. The burden of fragility fractures in the Asia-Pacific region.2. A summary of evidence for FLS in the Asia-Pacific.3. A generic, fully referenced FLS business plan template.4. Potential cost savings accrued by each country, based on a country-specific FLS Benefits Calculator.5. How to start and expand FLS programmes in the Asia-Pacific context.6. A step-by-step guide to setting up FLS in countries in the Asia-Pacific region.7. Other practical tools to support FLS establishment.8. FLS online resources and publications.The FLS Toolbox was provided as a resource to support FLS workshops immediately following the 5th Scientific Meeting of the Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies (AFOS) held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2017. The FLS workshops addressed three key themes:• The FLS business case.• Planning the FLS patient pathway.• The role of the FLS coordinator in fragility fracture care management.A follow-up survey of 142 FLS workshop participants was conducted in August-September 2018. The survey included questions regarding how FLS were developed, funded, the scope of service provision and the support provided by the educational initiative. Almost one-third (30.3%) of FLS workshop participants completed the survey. Survey responses were reported for those who had established a FLS at the time the survey was conducted and, separately, for those who had not established a FLS. Findings for those who had established a FLS included:• 78.3% of respondents established a multidisciplinary team to develop the business case for their FLS.• 87.0% of respondents stated that a multidisciplinary team was established to design the patient pathway for their FLS.• 26.1% of respondents stated that their FLS has sustainable funding.• The primary source of funding for FLS was from public hospitals (83.3%) as compared with private hospitals (16.7%).Most hospitals that had not established a FLS at the time the survey was conducted were either in the process of setting-up a FLS (47%) or had plans in place to establish a FLS for which approval is being sought (29%). The primary barrier to establishing a new FLS was lack of sustainable funding. The APBA FLS Focus Group educational initiative has stimulated activity across the Asia-Pacific region with the intention of supporting widespread implementation of new FLS. A second edition of the FLS Toolbox is in development which is intended to complement ongoing efforts throughout the region to expedite widespread implementation of FLS.

A New Fracture Liaison Service Using the Mobile Application and IoT Sensor

While the clinical design of a Fracture Liaison Service(FLS) has been used as a localized healthcare service in a previous study, thus far there has not been an international mobile application, such as a FLS using smart phones. In addition, we developed a safety monitoring system using IoT sensor for a smart wheelchair. Our FLS is able to give patient various fall-related predictions with a safety monitoring system on this mobile application. The goal of our study is to improve the prevention of secondary fractures from our FLS application. We have developed a Fracture Liaison Service as an Android-OS application and released this service as a secondary fracture prevention program for osteoporotic fracture patients. We have released the final version of the FLS mobile application in Google's PlayStore. The new model of the FLS mobile application can be practically commercialized, and the effective second-order fracture prevention system is based on an open policy platform. We hope to contribute to the prevention and management of osteoporotic fractures and osteoporosis worldwide via this FLS mobile application. In the future, an intelligent personal FLS is definitely possible, by applying a Medical AI based on a huge DB.

Impact of osteoporotic fracture type and subsequent fracture on mortality: the Tromsø Study

Less is known about the impact of non-hip non-vertebral fractures (NHNV) on early death. This study demonstrated increased risk of dying following hip and NHNV fractures which was further increased by a subsequent fracture. This highlights the importance of early intervention to prevent both initial and subsequent fractures and improve survival.

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporotic fractures are a major health concern. Limited evidence exists on their impact on mortality in ageing populations. This study examined the contribution of initial fracture type and subsequent fracture on mortality in a Norwegian population that has one of the highest rates of fractures.

METHODS

The Tromsø Study is a prospective population-based cohort in Norway. Women and men aged 50+ years were followed from 1994 to 2010. All incident hip and non-hip non-vertebral (NHNV) fractures were registered. NHNV fractures were classified as either proximal or distal. Information on self-reported co-morbidities, lifestyle factors, general health and education level was collected. Multivariable Cox models were used to quantify mortality risk with incident and subsequent fractures analysed as time-dependent variables.

RESULTS

Of 5214 women and 4620 men, 1549 (30%) and 504 (11%) sustained a fracture, followed by 589 (38%) and 254 (51%) deaths over 10,523 and 2821 person-years, respectively. There were 403 (26%) subsequent fractures in women and 68 (13%) in men. Hip fracture was associated with a two-fold increase in mortality risk (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.73-2.42 in women and 2.49, 95% CI 2.00-3.11 in men). Proximal NHNV fractures were associated with 49% and 81% increased mortality risk in women and men (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.21-1.84 and 1.81, 95% CI 1.37-2.41), respectively. Distal NHNV fractures were not associated with mortality. Subsequent fracture was associated with 89% and 77% increased mortality risk in women and men (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.52-2.35 and 1.77, 95% CI 1.16-2.71), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Hip, proximal NHNV and subsequent fractures were significantly associated with increased mortality risk in the elderly, highlighting the importance of early intervention.

Quality Improvement Initiatives in Fragility Fracture Care and Prevention

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review sought to describe quality improvement initiatives in fragility fracture care and prevention.

RECENT FINDINGS

A major care gap persists throughout the world in the secondary prevention of fragility fractures. Systematic reviews have confirmed that the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) model of care is associated with significant improvements in rates of bone mineral density testing, initiation of osteoporosis treatment and adherence with treatment for individuals who sustain fragility fractures. Further, these improvements in the processes of care resulted in significant reductions in refracture risk and lower post-fracture mortality. The primary challenge facing health systems now is to ensure that best practice is delivered effectively in the local healthcare setting. Publication of clinical standards for FLS at the organisational and patient level in combination with the establishment of national registries has provided a mechanism for FLS to benchmark and improve their performance. Major efforts are ongoing at the global, regional and national level to improve the acute care, rehabilitation and secondary prevention for individuals who sustain fragility fractures. Active participation in these initiatives has the potential to eliminate current care gaps in the coming decade.

Establishment of Fracture Liaison Service in Korea: Where Is It Stand and Where Is It Going?

The elderly population growth rate is extremely high in Korean society, and life expectancy is close to 85 years old for women and 80 for men as of people born in 2015. The future hip fracture prediction model of Korea shows that the elderly hip fracture rate will increase by 1.4 times by 2025, which will impose a serious socioeconomic burden on Korean society and become a key issue of public health management. The fracture liaison service (FLS) is defined adequate treatment and services for patients over 50 years old with fragility fractures, enabling systematic identification and decreasing the risk of subsequent osteoporotic fractures. In Korean society, the introduction of FLS, which is verified not only in the socioeconomic aspects but also in the treatment of patients, is thought to be essential. However, the challenges that need to be addressed in order to implement FLS include the lack of awareness regarding the necessity of this system, the lack of healthcare systems, and inadequate policies. In the future, further studies on the FLS and its clinical and socioeconomic effects for the Korean medical system will be necessary.

Treatment of osteoporosis: whom, how and for how long?

Identification of patients at risk for fragility fractures is the first important step in the management of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates have been the mainstay of treatment for decades, whereas denosumab and selective oestrogen receptor modulators are other available licensed antiresorptive drugs. Currently teriparatide is the only approved anabolic agent in Europe, while abaloparatide and romosozumab are awaiting approval and might be available in the near future. For bisphosphonates, current guidance suggests an initial treatment course of 3-5 years and more prolonged treatment should be pursued in patients with higher fracture risk. For patients with lower risk, a period off treatment might be considered after this initial course to minimize the risks associated with more prolonged treatment, but this only applies to bisphosphonates and not denosumab or teriparatide. This review discusses strategies for case finding of patients at risk, currently available treatment options, recent developments in pharmacological management and duration of treatment.

Case finding with GARVAN fracture risk calculator in primary prevention of fragility fractures in older people

BACKGROUND

Fracture risk calculators (FRC) with DXA can guide osteoporosis (OP) management in the absence of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). There is little information of the role of FRC without DXA.

OBJECTIVES

Determine the accuracy of age-stratified Garvan FRC thresholds without DXA to manage OP.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of 531 participants, ≥70 years old who underwent DXA and had Garvan FRC scores with and without DXA calculated. Age-stratified Garvan scores without DXA, generated low (no action), moderate (order DXA) or high (treat without DXA) risk thresholds of OP. Accuracy of our thresholds were assessed against DXA confirmed OP.

RESULTS

Age-specific GARVAN thresholds resulted in the correct decision in 85-88% of cases; "over-treated" OP in 7-8%; and, missed OP in 5-8%. 256 (48%) DXAs were unnecessary. Compared to recommended guidelines, Garvan HF and MOF thresholds improved accuracy of clinical decisions by 31% and 12%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Age-specific FRC score thresholds successfully identified who required treatment or DXA, with potential to reduce unnecessary DXA.

Southampton Arm Fracture Frailty and Sarcopenia Study (SAFFSS): a study protocol for the feasibility of assessing frailty and sarcopenia among older patients with an upper limb fracture

INTRODUCTION

Falls are a major health problem for older people; 35% of people aged 65+ years fall every year, leading to fractures in 10%-15%. Upper limb fractures are often the first sign of osteoporosis and routine screening for osteoporosis is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to prevent subsequent hip fractures. However, both frailty and sarcopenia (muscle weakness) are associated with increased risk of falling and fracture but are not routinely identified in this group. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of assessing and managing frailty and sarcopenia among people aged 65+ years with an upper limb fracture.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study will be conducted in three fracture clinics in one acute trust in England. 100 people aged 65+ years with an upper arm fracture will be recruited and assessed using six validated frailty measures and two sarcopenia tools. The prevalence of the two conditions and the best tools to use will be determined. Those with either condition will be referred to geriatric clinical teams for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). We will document the proportion who are referred for CGA and those who receive CGA. Other outcome measures including falls, fractures and healthcare resource use over 6 months will be collected. In-depth interviews with a purposive sample of patients who undergo the frailty and sarcopenia assessments and healthcare professionals in fracture clinics and geriatric services will be carried out to their acceptability of assessing frailty and sarcopenia in a busy environment.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study was given the relevant ethical approvals from NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC No: 18/NE/0377), the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Southampton, Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee and Research Governance Office. Findings will be published in scientific journals and presented to local, national and international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN13848445.

Factors affecting willingness to get assessed and treated for osteoporosis

Individuals with poor knowledge of osteoporosis and lower socioeconomic status, including being single and having a lower level of annual income, are less likely to be assessed or treated for osteoporosis. Individuals with particular osteoporosis risk factors such as smokers and heavy drinkers are overlooked for diagnosis. Further study is needed to identify and address the existing barriers and to promote osteoporosis management for women with these risk factors.

INTRODUCTION

Despite the negative health consequences of osteoporosis and the availability of effective treatment, a pervasive and persistent prevention care gap for osteoporosis remains present throughout the world. We attempted to identify the factors affecting the willingness of patients to either undergo or avoid assessment and treatment for osteoporosis.

METHODS

A nationwide online survey was conducted in 926 Korean women over age 50. The survey included questions addressing three domains: (1) clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, (2) questions concerning the reasons for undergoing or avoiding osteoporosis assessment or treatment, and (3) knowledge of osteoporosis as measured using the modified Korean version of Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz. The assessed and non-assessed participants were compared in terms of their clinical and socioeconomic statuses, reasons for undergoing or avoiding osteoporosis management, and levels of knowledge of osteoporosis.

RESULTS

The highest-ranked reason for undergoing osteoporosis assessment was fear of osteoporotic fracture, while the highest-ranked reason for avoiding osteoporosis assessment was not feeling a need to get tested for osteoporosis. Participants who sought assessment for osteoporosis were older and more likely to be married, and had greater knowledge of osteoporosis than those who did not seek assessment. The two groups were found to be similar in terms of tobacco use and daily alcohol use. Patients who had been diagnosed with osteoporosis but either did not initiate or discontinued osteoporosis treatment within 1 year were younger and had lower levels of annual income than those who began and continued treatment.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with poor knowledge of osteoporosis and those of lower socioeconomic status, including those who were single and had a lower level of annual income, were less likely to be assessed and treated for osteoporosis. Individuals with particular osteoporosis risk factors such as smokers and heavy drinkers are overlooked for diagnosis. Further study is needed to identify and address the existing barriers and to promote osteoporosis management for women with these risk factors.

Prior fracture and refracture among patients admitted with hip fracture: Data from a regional hip fracture registry in Sri Lanka

AIM

Fragility hip fracture has become a major global health concern. Data related to recurrent fragility fractures are sparse in the South Asian region.

METHOD

We assessed the prevalence of prior fragility fracture among patients admitted with new hip fracture to a tertiary care hospital in southern Sri Lanka. Also the incidence of refracture was assessed among hip fracture survivors followed up for 24 months after discharge.

RESULTS

Three hundred and nine patients with incident hip fracture were admitted during the study period (June 2014-February 2015) and 11 patients died while in the ward. We detected previous fracture in the contralateral hip in eight patients, while two others had distal radius fracture and one patient clinical vertebral fracture (rate = 3.6%). During the follow up two patients developed fractures in the contralateral hip while either clinical vertebral or distal forearm fractures were not detected (refracture rate = 0.004/person years).

CONCLUSION

This analysis based on a regional hip fracture registry shows a low prevalence of prior fracture among patients admitted with incident hip fracture and a low rate of refracture among survivors. More studies are needed to assess whether there are geographical variations in the prevalence of prior fracture or refracture among patients with incident hip fracture.

How to prevent the next fracture

During the last decade, policymakers, learned societies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and some national alliances of all three of these groups have advocated, developed and implemented systematic approaches to fragility fracture care and prevention in a growing number of countries. This chapter reviews the impact of Orthogeriatric Services (OGS) and Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) on delivery of best practice in secondary fracture prevention. An overview of national and international strategies intended to promote widespread implementation of these service models is also provided.

Second Hip Fracture: Incidence, Trends, and Predictors

Older persons who have suffered a hip fracture (HFx) are at increased risk of subsequent hip fractures. The cumulative incidence of a second hip fracture (SHFx) has been estimated in 8.4%; however, no studies have been carried out in our country, and the information on risk markers of SHFx is limited. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence, explore trends, and examine predictors of SHFx in a suburban population of Spain. An observational longitudinal retrospective study was performed in a universal health coverage setting (Alcorcón, 1999-2011). Data were obtained from the area hospital discharge database. Annual incidence of HFx was estimated over 100,000 population (general and persons with HFx), and median time to SHFx by Kaplan-Meier tables. Cox regression was used for the analysis of association between SHFx and baseline predictors, measured by hazard ratio (HR). Among the 3430 patients who suffered a first HFx in the study period, 255 (7.4%) experienced a SHFx (4.5% of men and 8.5% of women). Median time between the first and second HFx was 3.7 years (SD 3.2). Annual incidence of HFx in population over 45 was 290.5 per 100,000 inhabitants (131.03 in men and 433.11 in women). Annual incidence of SHFx among persons with a HFx was 956.7 per 100,000 (1052.1 in women and 595.5 in men). There was a decline trend along the study period with an annual reduction of 10.4% (95% CI 7.7-13.0%; p < 0.001) in both sexes. The following associations were found: female sex (HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.97-2.02), age (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04), living in a nursing house (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.10-1.94), and moderate to severe liver disease (HR 4.96, 95% CI 1.23-20.06). In our environment the occurrence of a SHFx is 7.4%, three-fold risk compared to no previous HFx. Being woman, elderly, living in a nursing home, and having severe to moderate liver disease may be important predictors of a SHFx. There seems to be adequate time between the first and the SHFx for interventions that may reduce the risk.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw in osteoporotic patients: prevention and management

Osteoporosis is a major, growing healthcare issue. This is especially of concern in an ageing population like that of Singapore. Osteoporotic patients are at risk of fractures, which can result in increased morbidity and mortality. The use of antiresorptive therapy with bisphosphonates or denosumab has been proven to reduce fracture risk. However, the use of these medications has rarely been associated with the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw, a potentially debilitating condition affecting one or both jaws. Appropriate understanding of the patient's antiresorptive therapy regime, as well as early institution of preventive dental measures, can play an important role in preventing medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Regular monitoring and prompt referral to specialist care is warranted for patients with established MRONJ.

High prevalence of missed opportunities for secondary fracture prevention in a regional general hospital setting in Singapore

This study aims at assessing the gap in secondary fracture prevention at a regional general hospital setting in Singapore. Male patients have significantly lower rate of being investigated and treated for osteoporosis than their female counterparts. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in our population.

PURPOSE

Secondary fracture prevention services are not routine in Singapore; we seek to assess the treatment gap that exists in the lack of diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in fragility fracture patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of all admissions for fragility fractures between December 2013 and December 2014. Demographic data, rates of BMD performance, serum vitamin D investigation and calcium and vitamin D supplementation as well as antiresorptive initiation 1 year post admission were analysed.

RESULTS

There were 125 fragility fractures in patients below 65 and 615 fractures in older patients. There was a slightly higher proportion of males in the younger population, whereas females predominated in the older population. Median vitamin D levels were low in both younger (19.1 μg/L) and older (22.0 μg/L) groups, but supplementation was lower in younger patients (4.8 versus 16.6%, p = 0.003). Rate of BMD performance was lower in younger patients (34.4 versus 64.6%, p < 0.01); there was a significant difference of BMD performance between male and female patients in the younger population (19.1 versus 52.8%, p < 0.01) which was not present in the older age group. Antiresportive initiation was significantly lower in the younger age group versus older (10.4 versus 31.5%, p < 0.01); male patients in the younger and older age groups had significantly lower antiresorptive initiation rate compared to the females.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant treatment gap in diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in fragility fracture patients in a regional hospital setting in Singapore. Male osteoporosis remains inadequately investigated and treated in both age groups.

Barriers to secondary fracture prevention in primary care

This study of current osteoporosis management patterns in general practice found that the majority of patients presenting to their local health practitioner with a recent low-trauma fracture was not managed appropriately. The analysis demonstrated that failure to investigate was highly predictive of failure to treat and that one of the major barriers to effective osteoporosis management is a lack of specific knowledge about who to investigate and treat.

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporotic fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The current study aimed (i) to determine the number of patients with osteoporotic fractures who were not investigated or treated for osteoporosis by their primary care physician and (ii) to identify factors that contribute to the ongoing gap in osteoporosis care.

METHODS

We conducted an observational retrospective study (2012-2014) using explicit medical record review at three major general practices in metropolitan Sydney. Patients aged 55 years or older who had a documented minimal trauma fracture (MTF) were identified. Data collected included demographics, prior fractures, testing for vitamin D/bone mineral density and initiation of osteoporosis pharmacotherapy. The main outcome measures included the number of patients who did not undergo the following: (i) a bone density scan, (ii) vitamin D measurement and/or (iii) initiation of osteoporosis pharmacotherapy.

RESULTS

Of the 87 patients (69% female; mean age 71.7 years) with prevalent MTF, 55 (63%) were not referred for a bone density scan. Vitamin D levels were not measured in 36 patients (41%) and 55 patients (63%) did not receive specific osteoporosis pharmacotherapy. Failure to investigate was highly predictive of failure to treat (p < 0.001). The presence of major osteoporotic risk factors did not affect the likelihood of investigation or treatment, indicating that a major barrier to effective osteoporosis management was a lack of knowledge.

CONCLUSION

Management of patients with MTF's in primary care is poor. Systems aimed at improving the identification and treatment of patients with osteoporotic fractures in this setting is required in order to close the osteoporosis care gap.

Implementation of Models of Care for secondary osteoporotic fracture prevention and orthogeriatric Models of Care for osteoporotic hip fracture

As the world's population ages, the prevalence of osteoporosis and its resultant fragility fractures is set to increase dramatically. This chapter focuses on current frameworks and major initiatives related to the implementation of fracture liaison services (FLS) and orthogeriatrics services (OGS), Models of Care designed to reliably implement secondary fracture prevention measures for individuals presenting to health services with fragility fractures. The current evidence base regarding the impact and effectiveness of FLS and OGS is also considered.

Prevention of osteoporotic refractures in regional Australia

OBJECTIVE

Clinical guidelines recommend that patients who sustain a minimal trauma fracture (MTF) should receive a bone mineral density (BMD) scan and bisphosphonate (or equivalent) therapy if diagnosed with osteoporosis. A pilot fracture liaison service (FLS) was implemented in regional NSW to improve adherence to the guidelines.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study with an historical control.

SETTING

Primary care.

PARTICIPANTS

Control (n = 47) and cohort (n = 93) groups comprised patients consenting to interview who presented with a MTF to the major referral hospital 4 months before and 12 months after FLS implementation respectively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome measures were the rates of BMD scans and anti-osteoporotic medication initiation/review after MTF. Hospital admission data were also examined to determine death and refracture rates for all patients presenting during the study period with a primary diagnosis of MTF within 3 years of their initial fracture.

RESULTS

Although there was no improvement in BMD scanning rates, the reported rate of medication initiation/review after fracture was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the FLS cohort. However, once adjusted for age, this association was not significant (P = 0.086). There was a lower refracture rate during the cohort period (P = 0.013), however, there were significantly more deaths (P = 0.035) within 3 years of initial fracture. When deaths were taken into account via competing risk regression, patients in the cohort period were significantly less likely to refracture than those in the control period (Hazard ratio = 0.576, P = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

A rurally based nurse-led FLS was associated with modest improvement after MTF. Consideration should be given to ways to strengthen the model of care to improve outcomes.

Secondary fracture prevention in hip fracture patients requires cooperation from general practitioners

Despite individual recommendations on osteoporosis management in patients after hip fracture surgery, addressed by orthopedic surgeons to Czech general practitioners, the patients remained undiagnosed and untreated because of provider-level barriers to post-fracture secondary prevention.

PURPOSE

The goal of the study was to assess whether an individual recommendation on osteoporosis treatment addressed to a hip fracture patient's GP would lead to better osteoporosis management.

METHODS

Two groups of patients who suffered hip fractures and were treated at the Orthopedic Department were evaluated. In 111 patients, general recommendations on osteoporosis treatment and fracture prevention were provided in a discharge report addressed to the GP. In the second group, 96 patients were provided individually with a detailed written set of recommendations on osteoporosis examination, treatment, and fracture prevention, which was also provided in the discharge report. A questionnaire to assess the provided care was mailed to the patients 5.3 ± 1.2 months of discharge. Those patients who did not return the questionnaires were contacted by phone.

RESULTS

The questionnaires were received from 44% and 49% of patients from the general and detailed recommendation groups, respectively. Along with the phone call, we were able to contact 78 (70.3%) and 68 (70.8%) patients from the general and detailed recommendation groups, respectively. GPs secured osteoporosis evaluation in 14.6% of the patients. Calcium supplementation and vitamin D supplementation were newly provided in 42.7 and 36.4% of the patients, respectively. Anti-resorptive therapy was newly provided in 8.3% of the patients. No significant differences between the groups were observed in osteoporosis evaluation, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and anti-osteoporosis treatments. Out of 207 patients, further examination or treatment was requested by 45 patients (21.7%); 75 patients (36.2%) declared no interest in further care.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations on osteoporosis management addressed to Czech GPs after surgical fracture management had little effect on treatment. As the anti-osteoporotic preparations can only be prescribed by specialists, the availability of necessary examinations and treatment is limited by the motivation of GPs. Consequently, the implementation of Fracture Liaison Services to help close the care gap may be limited in the absence of participation by Czech GPs.

Mind the (treatment) gap: a global perspective on current and future strategies for prevention of fragility fractures

This narrative review considers the key challenges facing healthcare professionals and policymakers responsible for providing care to populations in relation to bone health. These challenges broadly fall into four distinct themes: (1) case finding and management of individuals at high risk of fracture, (2) public awareness of osteoporosis and fragility fractures, (3) reimbursement and health system policy and (4) epidemiology of fracture in the developing world. Findings from cohort studies, randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, in addition to current clinical guidelines, position papers and national and international audits, are summarised, with the intention of providing a prioritised approach to delivery of optimal bone health for all. Systematic approaches to case-finding individuals who are at high risk of sustaining fragility fractures are described. These include strategies and models of care intended to improve case finding for individuals who have sustained fragility fractures, those undergoing treatment with medicines which have an adverse effect on bone health and people who have diseases, whereby bone loss and, consequently, fragility fractures are a common comorbidity. Approaches to deliver primary fracture prevention in a clinically effective and cost-effective manner are also explored. Public awareness of osteoporosis is low worldwide. If older people are to be more pro-active in the management of their bone health, that needs to change. Effective disease awareness campaigns have been implemented in some countries but need to be undertaken in many more. A major need exists to improve awareness of the risk that osteoporosis poses to individuals who have initiated treatment, with the intention of improving adherence in the long term. A multisector effort is also required to support patients and their clinicians to have meaningful discussions concerning the risk-benefit ratio of osteoporosis treatment. With regard to prioritisation of fragility fracture prevention in national policy, there is much to be done. In the developing world, robust epidemiological estimates of fracture incidence are required to inform policy development. As the aging of the baby boomer generation is upon us, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of how bone health can be improved worldwide for all.

Fracture liaison services: improving outcomes for patients with osteoporosis

Fragility fractures are sentinels of osteoporosis, and as such all patients with low-trauma fractures should be considered for further investigation for osteoporosis and, if confirmed, started on osteoporosis medication. Fracture liaison services (FLSs) with varying models of care are in place to take responsibility for this investigative and treatment process. This review aims to describe outcomes for patients with osteoporotic fragility fractures as part of FLSs. The most intensive service that includes identification, assessment and treatment of patients appears to deliver the best outcomes. This FLS model is associated with reduction in re-fracture risk (hazard ratio [HR] 0.18–0.67 over 2–4 years), reduced mortality (HR 0.65 over 2 years), increased assessment of bone mineral density (relative risk [RR] 2–3), increased treatment initiation (RR 1.5–4.25) and adherence to treatment (65%–88% at 1 year) and is cost-effective. In response to this evidence, key organizations and stakeholders have published guidance and framework to ensure that best practice in FLSs is delivered.

Effect of bisphosphonate initiation at week 2 versus week 12 on short-term functional recovery after femoral neck fracture: a randomized controlled trial

The appropriate time to initiate bisphosphonate treatment after a fragility fracture has not yet been established. In this study, we found no significant differences in short-term functional recovery between femoral neck fracture patients who received bisphosphonate treatment at 2 versus 12 weeks after hemiarthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION

Bisphosphonate is the mainstay therapy for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bisphosphonate initiation on short-term functional recovery in femoral neck fracture patients at 2 versus 12 weeks after hemiarthroplasty.

METHODS

One hundred patients were randomly allocated into two groups in a parallel group designed, randomized, controlled trial. Both groups received risedronate 35 mg/week at either 2 or 12 weeks after hemiarthroplasty. All patients received calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Functional recovery was assessed by de Morton Mobility Index, Barthel Index, EuroQol 5D, visual analog scale, 2-min walk test, and timed get-up-and-go test at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery.

RESULTS

At the 3-month follow-up, all functional outcome measures showed significant improvement in both groups. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the functional outcomes between groups at both the 3-month and 1-year follow-ups. Although patients who received bisphosphonate initiation at week 2 had lower serum calcium level at 3 months and more overall adverse events than patients in the week 12 group, no patients in either group discontinued their prescribed medications.

CONCLUSIONS

While underpowered, the findings of this study suggest that there were no significant differences in short-term functional recovery or significant adverse events between the two bisphosphonate groups. Thus, the initiation of bisphosphonate therapy may be considered as early as 2 weeks after femoral neck fracture. It is important that low serum calcium and vitamin D status must be corrected with calcium and vitamin D supplementation prior to or at the time of bisphosphonate initiation.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

This study was registered in the database via the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) (NCT02148848).

Effects of Age and Body Mass Index on Thoracolumbar Spine X-Ray for Diagnosing Osteoporosis in Elderly Women: Tianliao Old People (TOP) Study 07

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of diagnostic discordance with or without a thoracolumbar spine lateral view X-ray in patients with osteoporosis.

METHODS

We randomly enrolled 368 women over 65 years old (74.3 ± 6.0 years) from Tianliao Township in 2009 (response rate: 75.7%). A diagnosis of osteoporosis was confirmed using one of these criteria: (1) a history of non-traumatic fracture, (2) vertebral fractures based on a thoracolumbar spine lateral view X-ray, or (3) a bone mineral density T-score ≤ -2.5 for the total hip, the femoral neck, the lumbar spine, or all 3 sites. The prevalence of osteoporosis in three groups was compared based on Model I (criteria 1+2) vs. Model II (criteria 1+3) vs. Model III (criteria 1+2+3). The role of thoracolumbar X-ray reflected by the diagnostic discordance of osteoporosis between Models II and III was evaluated.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of osteoporosis was 78.3% (Model III, age-standardized 78.1%). The diagnostic discordance was 17.4% in the 368 participants. A logistic regression model showed that age was negatively associated with diagnostic discordance (odds ratio [OR] = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.98, p < 0.05), but body mass index was positively associated (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00-1.15, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A thoracolumbar spine lateral view X-ray should be added for women ≥ 65 years old or with a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 to minimize the diagnostic discordance in osteoporosis, especially in highly endemic regions.

For the first fracture to be the last

Increased longevity has made progression in the number of fractures increasingly significant. Because hip fractures give rise to high morbidity and mortality rates and have high treatment costs, their occurrence is the most important marker of effectiveness in relation to osteoporosis treatment. In countries and systems that, especially over the last decade, have been investing in the prevention of osteoporosis and its consequences, the number of hip fractures has been decreasing. What these countries have in common is secondary prevention of fractures, i.e. to avoid subsequent fractures. Given that half of the patients who present hip fractures have had a previous fracture and that the treatments available have proven to be extremely efficient for decreasing subsequent fractures, a good proportion of hip fractures are preventable. It is within this scenario that orthopedists play a leading role.

The Radiology of Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures Redux

When a low-energy fracture occurs, then osteoporosis has progressed to the point of bony structural failure. Because vertebral fractures are the commonest type of osteoporotic fracture, the correct identification of them becomes important for diagnosis, risk estimation, and management. However, there are no uniformly agreed criteria for their diagnosis. The purpose of this review was to examine the diagnostic radiological strategies available and suggest a coherent approach to diagnosis. Diagnosis had come to focus on comparative changes in vertebral dimensions. However, it has become apparent that mild reductions in vertebral height are of uncertain implication. The importance of structural damage in diagnosis has become recognized in parallel. Relative reductions in vertebral height may not be a necessary nor sufficient criterion by which to diagnose a fracture.

The NYU Osteoporosis Model of Care Experience

INTRODUCTION

Participants who sustain a fragility fracture are at increased risk for subsequent fractures. Despite the consequences of recurrent fractures, bone mineral density (BMD) testing and treatment rates for osteoporosis after a fracture remain low. The New York University (NYU) Langone Osteoporosis Model of Care was developed to identify women at increased risk for recurrent fractures and to reduce the rates of subsequent fracture through patient and physician education.

METHODS

Women aged 50 years and older who had a fracture and received their care at NYU affiliated hospitals were contacted via mail after discharge. Participants were provided educational materials explaining decreased bone strength and its possible relationship to their fracture and were asked to complete a questionnaire. One year postfracture, participants were sent follow-up questionnaires requesting their most recent fracture treatment and BMD information. Educational material was also provided to the treating orthopedic surgeons.

RESULTS

Overall, 524 patients were contacted and 210 (40%) enrolled. By the end of 24 months, 92 participants completed their 1-year questionnaire (44% of the enrollees). Forty-two (46%) participants had undergone new BMD testing and 37 (40%) were receiving antiresorptive medications, including 6 (6%) who had not been prescribed these medications before enrolling in the program.

CONCLUSIONS

The Osteoporosis Model of Care is a simple and cost-effective educational program, which improved comprehensive fracture care in an actual clinical setting. Patient enrollment remains a challenge in implementing the program. Our program highlights difficulties in providing community-dwelling participants with appropriate postfracture care. With increasing concern among the public regarding the use of bone strengthening medications and continued low postfracture treatment rates, educating patients with high fracture risk is critical to reducing the rate of subsequent fracture. Our Model of Care Program demonstrates both the success and limitations of a postfracture educational approach using discharge diagnosis data to identify patients with fracture.

Treatment with denosumab reduces secondary fracture risk in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis

OBJECTIVES

A history of prior fracture is one of the strongest predictors of a future fragility fracture. In FREEDOM, denosumab significantly reduced the risk of new vertebral, non-vertebral, and hip fractures. We carried out a post-hoc analysis of FREEDOM to characterize the efficacy of denosumab in preventing secondary fragility fractures in subjects with a prior fracture.

METHODS

A total of 7808 women aged 60-90 years with a bone mineral density T-score of less than - 2.5 but not less than - 4.0 at either the lumbar spine or total hip were randomized to subcutaneous denosumab 60 mg or placebo every 6 months for 36 months. The anti-fracture efficacy of denosumab was analyzed by prior fracture status, to assess secondary fragility fracture, and by subject age, prior fracture site and history of prior osteoporosis medication use.

RESULTS

A prior fragility fracture was reported for 45% of the overall study population. Compared with placebo, denosumab significantly reduced the risk of a secondary fragility fracture by 39% (incidence, 17.3% vs. 10.5%; p < 0.0001). Similar results were observed regardless of age or prior fracture site. In the overall population, denosumab significantly reduced the risk of a fragility fracture by 40% (13.3% vs. 8.0%; p < 0.0001), with similar results observed regardless of history of prior osteoporotic medication use.

CONCLUSIONS

Denosumab reduced the risk of fragility fractures to a similar degree in all risk subgroups examined, including those with prior fragility fractures. Identifying and treating high-risk individuals could help to close the current care gap in secondary fracture prevention.

Risk of second hip fracture persists for years after initial trauma

BACKGROUND

Secondary prevention often targets women who suffer from higher rates of second hip fracture than men, especially in the early years after first fracture. Yet, the occurrence of second hip fracture by certain times also depends on the death rate, which is higher in men than women. We compared the risk of sustaining second hip fracture by a certain time between women and men remaining alive at that time.

METHODS

We retrieved 38,383 hospitalization records of patients aged 60 years or older, who were discharged alive after admission for hip fracture surgery between 1990 and 2005 in British Columbia, Canada. The outcome variable was the time to a subsequent hip fracture.

RESULTS

During ten years of follow-up, 2,902 (8%) patients sustained a second hip fracture, and 21,428 (56%) died before sustaining a second hip fracture. The risk of second hip fracture in the surviving post-fracture patients was higher in women than in men: 2% vs 2%, 5% vs 4%, 9% vs 7%, 15% vs 13%, and 35% vs 30% at 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 years after initial trauma, respectively, crude OR=1.25 (95% CI: 1.13-1.39). However, the risk did not differ between women and men after adjustment, OR=1.09 (95% CI: 0.98-1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of second hip fracture persists for at least ten years among hip fracture survivors, and therefore secondary prevention should continue beyond an early post-fracture period. Women and men have similar risks of second hip fracture and both should be considered for secondary prevention.

Subsequent fracture rates in a nationwide population-based cohort study with a 10-year perspective

SUMMARY

Fractures after the age of 50 are frequently observed in Denmark, and many of these may be osteoporotic. This study examined the incidence of all and subsequent fractures in a 10-year period from 2001 to 2011. The incidence of subsequent fractures was high, especially following hip fracture.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to examine patterns of subsequent fractures and mortality rates over a 10-year period in patients already suffering from fracture.

METHODS

The study was designed as a nationwide, register-based follow-up study. Patients were included if diagnosed with an index fracture (ICD-10 codes: S22.x, S32.x, S42.x, S52.x, S62.x, S72.x, S82.x, S92.x, T02.x, T08.x, T10.x and T12.x) between January 1st, 2001 and December 31st, 2001 and if older than 50 years at time of fracture. The patients were investigated for future subsequent fractures from January 1st, 2002 to December 31st, 2011.

RESULTS

In this study, we demonstrated that patients with fractures (especially hip fractures) have a high risk of subsequent fractures, especially hip fracture. Other fractures, which are not commonly considered as osteoporotic fractures, such as lower leg, were frequently observed in the 10 years following index fracture. The cumulative incidence proportion (CIP) of subsequent fractures during the 10-year follow-up period was high for all recurrent fractures (9-46 %). Subsequent hip fracture, regardless of index fracture, had the highest CIP across the study period, ranging from 9 to 40 %. Appendicular fractures were often followed by a recurrent fracture, or subsequent fractures at a more proximal location in the same limb, i.e. forearm fractures were followed by humerus fractures. These results have not been previously demonstrated to this extent, and according to our knowledge, no previous studies have estimated cumulative 10-year subsequent fracture incidences for any non-hip fractures.

CONCLUSION

Patients suffering a fracture (and especially a hip fracture) have a high incidence of subsequent fracture. Fractures after the age of 50 may be considered an early warning of increased risk for future fractures in many patients.

Burden of illness for osteoporotic fractures compared with other serious diseases among postmenopausal women in the United States

OBJECTIVES

To provide a national estimate of the incidence of hospitalizations due to osteoporotic fractures (OFs) in women; compare this with the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and breast cancer; and assess temporal trends in the incidence and length of hospitalizations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included all women 55 years and older at the time of admission, admitted to a hospital participating in the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample for an outcome of interest. We performed a retrospective analysis of hospitalizations for OFs (hip, forearm, spine, pelvis, distal femur, wrist, and humerus), MI, stroke, or breast cancer, using the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 2000-2011.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2011, there were 4.9 million hospitalizations for OF, 2.9 million for MI, 3.0 million for stroke, and 0.7 million for breast cancer. Osteoporotic fractures accounted for more than 40% of the hospitalizations in these 4 outcomes, with an age-adjusted rate of 1124 admissions per 100,000 person-years. In comparison, MI, stroke, and breast cancer had age-adjusted incidence rates of 668, 687, and 151 admissions per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The annual total population facility-related hospital cost was highest for hospitalizations due to OFs ($5.1 billion), followed by MI ($4.3 billion), stroke ($3.0 billion), and breast cancer ($0.5 billion).

CONCLUSION

These data provide evidence that in US women 55 years and older, the hospitalization burden of OFs and population facility-related hospital cost is greater than that of MI, stroke, or breast cancer. Prioritization of bone health and supporting programs such as fracture liaison services is needed to reduce this substantial burden.

A systematic review of the outcomes of osteoporotic fracture patients after hospital discharge: morbidity, subsequent fractures, and mortality

PURPOSE

Osteoporotic fracture is the main complication of osteoporosis. The current management is to discharge patients as early as possible so they can get back to their daily activities. Once discharged, there are three main issues relating to morbidity, mortality, and risk of a subsequent fracture that need to be addressed and discussed. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate the evidence from published literature, to determine the outcome of osteoporotic fracture patients after their hospital discharge.

METHODS

The MEDLINE and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were searched, using the terms "osteoporosis", "fracture", "osteoporotic fracture", "hip fracture", and "vertebral fracture". We included only human studies published in English between 2004 and 2014. The reference lists of included studies were thoroughly reviewed in search for other relevant studies.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies met the selection criteria. Most were observational and cohort studies. Out of all the studies, five studies looked into the morbidity, six studies looked into the risk of subsequent fractures, and seven studies looked into mortality. Vertebral fracture caused the greatest health burden, but hip fracture patients were the main users of informal care after hospital discharge. There was an increased risk of a subsequent fracture after a primary fracture compared with the control group, a cohort comparison, or the general population. Osteoporotic fractures, especially hip fractures, are associated with higher mortality rate despite the advances in the management of osteoporotic fracture cases.

CONCLUSION

There is strong evidence to show that after hospital discharge, osteoporotic fracture patients are faced with higher morbidity, subsequent fractures, and mortality.

Compliance and persistence to oral bisphosphonate therapy following initiation within a secondary fracture prevention program: a randomised controlled trial of specialist vs. non-specialist management

Following initiation of oral bisphosphonate therapy through a secondary fracture prevention program, 2-year treatment compliance and persistence remained high and were similar in patients randomised to follow-up by either the program or primary care physician. Thus, community-based and specialist management are equally effective in supporting compliance and persistence with anti-osteoporotic treatments.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to determine whether management by a secondary fracture prevention (SFP) program (aka "fracture liaison service") results in better compliance and persistence to oral bisphosphonate therapy than follow-up by the primary care physician, after initiation within an SFP program.

METHODS

This prospective RCT included 102 patients with incident osteoporotic fractures referred to a SFP program in Sydney, Australia. Following oral bisphosphonate therapy initiation, patients were randomised to either 6-monthly follow-up with the SFP program (group A) or referral to their primary care physician with a single SFP program visit at 24 months (group B). Compliance and persistence to treatment were measured using pharmaceutical claims data. Predictors of compliance and persistence and associations between compliance and persistence, and changes in bone mineral density (BMD) or bone resorption marker, urinary deoxypyridinoline over 24 months were analysed.

RESULTS

The median medication possession ratio at 24 months was 0.78 (IQR, 0.50-0.93) in group A and 0.79 (IQR, 0.48-0.96) in group B (p = 0.68). Persistence at 24 months was also similar in both groups (64 vs. 61%, respectively; p = 0.75). After adjusting for confounders, patients in group A were not more likely to be compliant (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.46-2.47) or persistent (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.27-1.67) than those randomised to group B. Time-based changes in BMD or bone turnover were not associated with compliance or persistence.

CONCLUSION

Compliance and persistence to oral bisphosphonate therapy remain high amongst patients initiated within an SFP program, with community-based and SFP program management being equally effective in maintaining therapeutic compliance and persistence over 2 years. These results indicate that one of the main functions of an SFP program may be the initiation of therapy rather than continuous patient monitoring.

Secondary prevention after an osteoporosis-related fracture: an overview

This article is an overview of the status of postfracture secondary prevention programs. The concept of fracture risk, the inclusion of fracture risk in clinical practice guidelines for osteoporosis, and how fracture risk has contributed to the development of postfracture secondary prevention programs are described. The scope of postfracture secondary prevention programs, the gaps in care that persist despite these initiatives, and the potential reasons for these gaps are also described. Recommendations for future research in the area of postfracture secondary prevention are provided.

Optimizing fracture prevention: the fracture liaison service, an observational study

The response rate to the invitation to the fracture liaison service and reasons for non-response were evaluated in 2,207 fragility fracture patients. Fifty-one percent responded; non-responders were most often not interested (38 %) or were hip fracture patients. After 1 year of treatment, 88 % was still persistent and 2 % had a new fracture.

INTRODUCTION

To increase the percentage of elderly fracture patients undergoing a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement, and to investigate why some patients did not respond to invitation to our fracture liaison service (FLS).

METHODS

In four Dutch hospitals, fracture patients ≥ 50 years were invited through a written or personal invitation at the surgical outpatient department, for a DXA measurement and visit to our FLS. Patients who did not respond were contacted by telephone. In patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, treatment was started. Patients were contacted every 3 months during 1 year to assess drug persistence and the occurrence of subsequent fractures.

RESULTS

Of the 2,207 patients who were invited, 50.6 % responded. Most frequent reasons for not responding included: not interested (38 %), already screened/under treatment for osteoporosis (15.7 %), physically unable to attend the clinic (11.5 %), and death (5.2 %). Hip fracture patients responded less frequently (29 %) while patients with a wrist (60 %) or ankle fracture (65.2 %) were more likely to visit the clinic. In 337 responding patients, osteoporosis was diagnosed and treatment was initiated. After 12 months of follow-up, 88 % of the patients were still persistent with anti-osteoporosis therapy and only 2 % suffered a subsequent clinical fracture.

CONCLUSION

In elderly fracture patients, the use of a FLS leads to an increased response rate, a high persistence to drug treatment, and a low rate of subsequent clinical fractures. Additional programs for hip fracture patients are required, as these patients have a low response rate.

Effect of a dedicated osteoporosis health professional on screening and treatment in outpatients presenting with acute low trauma non-hip fracture: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to identify the effect a dedicated osteoporosis health professional on screening and treatment in outpatients presenting with acute low trauma fracture. A dedicated osteoporosis health professional improved investigation and management of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis management was enhanced, leading to the potential for future fracture prevention.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to review the effect a dedicated osteoporosis health professional on screening and treatment in outpatients presenting with acute low trauma fracture.

METHODS

We searched the electronic databases of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Current Contents Connect, Joanna Briggs Institute EBP, and Cochrane from database development to April 2013, examined grey literature, and completed manual searches of reference lists to identify English language research that examined the effect that dedicated health professional input had on osteoporosis management with acute low trauma non-hip fracture in the outpatient setting. Outcomes were defined as the proportion of patients with investigation (bone mineral density (BMD) or blood screen); treated with vitamin D supplementation or antiresorptive agent; documented BMD reading change; recurrent fracture occurrence; or referral to specialist bone (osteoporosis) clinic.

RESULTS

All studies with a suitable control group showed an increase in BMD screening in the intervention group (odds ratio (OR) 5.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.3-6.9, P<0.0001). The effect on treatment initiation showed a significantly increased rate of antiresorptive±vitamin D therapy (OR 5.3, 95% CI 4.1-6.8, P<0.0001). No studies examined improvement or decline in BMD guiding clinical practice as an outcome. Two studies showed reduced fracture recurrence. The osteoporosis health professional significantly increased referrals to a specialist bone clinic (OR 9.6, 95% CI 6.2-14.6, P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of a dedicated osteoporosis health professional coordinating a targeted intervention for outpatients with low trauma non-hip fracture improves investigation and management of osteoporosis, resulting in the potential for future fracture prevention.