Characteristics associated with anti-osteoporosis medication use: data from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) USA cohort

Inpatient Zoledronic Acid and Integrated Orthopedic and Fracture Liaison Services Improve Osteoporosis Treatment Rates

CONTEXT

Fragility fractures increase risks for future fractures, morbidity, and mortality. Available pharmacotherapy for underlying osteoporosis is safe and effective but underused.

OBJECTIVE

To improve pharmacotherapy rate representing secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures.

METHODS

This single-center, observational, follow-up study included patients with fragility fractures admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital between February 2016 and December 2019. For patients admitted to the orthopedics service with fragility fracture, the Massachusetts General Hospital Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) was systematically consulted. Initial outpatient follow-up with FLS was established in conjunction with the orthopedic postoperative follow-up visit. Patients at risk for failing timely outpatient follow-up were administered zoledronic acid (ZA) during the index fracture hospitalization. The main outcome measures were percentage of patients with fragility fracture(s) started on pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis and average length of stay and 30-day readmission rate of patients treated with ZA.

RESULTS

Compared with baseline (8-11%) and reference (5-20%) rates, integration of FLS to the orthopedics service, along with appropriate inpatient administration of ZA, increased the pharmacotherapy rate to 70% (412/589) among eligible patients with verified treatment status. Inpatient ZA administration neither affected the average length of stay nor 30-day readmission rate. Treatment status of 37.9% (471/1240) of the study patients remained unknown due to lack of or unknown follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Integration of a FLS and orthopedics services along with inpatient ZA administration improved the osteoporosis pharmacotherapy rate among patients with fragility fracture(s) who often had obstacles for outpatient follow-up.

Current Status of the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis has been defined as the silent disease of the 21st century, becoming a public health risk due to its severity, chronicity and progression and affecting mainly postmenopausal women and older adults. Osteoporosis is characterized by an imbalance between bone resorption and bone production. It is diagnosed through different methods such as bone densitometry and dual X-rays. The treatment of this pathology focuses on different aspects. On the one hand, pharmacological treatments are characterized by the use of anti-resorptive drugs, as well as emerging regenerative medicine treatments such as cell therapies and the use of bioactive hydrogels. On the other hand, non-pharmacological treatments are associated with lifestyle habits that should be incorporated, such as physical activity, diet and the cessation of harmful habits such as a high consumption of alcohol or smoking. This review seeks to provide an overview of the theoretical basis in relation to bone biology, the existing methods for diagnosis and the treatments of osteoporosis, including the development of new strategies.

The current situation in the approach to osteoporosis in older adults in Turkey: areas in need of improvement with a model for other populations

PURPOSE

The total number of older adults in Turkey is striking, amounting to around 8 million, and this translates into considerably higher numbers of cases of osteoporosis (OP) and fractures in older adults. In this article, we outlined the current situation of OP in older adults in Turkey and investigated the differences between Turkey and a representative developed European country (Belgium), in terms of the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of OP. Our intention in this regard was to identify areas in need of improvement and subsequently to make a clear call for action to address these issues.

METHODS

Herein, considering the steps related to the OP approach, we made a complete review of the studies conducted in Turkey and compared with the literature recommendations.

RESULTS

There is a need for a national osteoporotic fracture registry; measures should be taken to improve the screening and treatment of OP in older males, such as educational activities; technicians involved in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning should undergo routine periodic training; all DXA centers should identify center-specific least significant change values; all older adults should be considered for routine lateral dorsolumbar X-ray imaging for the screening of vertebral fractures while ordering DXA scans; the inclusion of vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) software in DXA assessments should be considered; screening using a fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) algorithm that is specific to Turkey should be integrated; the fortification of foods with vitamin D is required; the high fracture risk by country-specific FRAX algorithm and the presence of falls/high fall risk should be integrated in reimbursement terms; and finally, more "fracture liaison services" should be established.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that the practical consideration of our suggestions will provide considerable support to the efforts for combating with the adverse consequences of OP in society. This approach can be subsequently modeled for other populations to improve the management of OP globally.

Racial disparities in survival among women with endometrial cancer in an equal access system

OBJECTIVE

The mortality rate for Black women with endometrial cancer (EC) is double that of White women, although the incidence rate is lower among Black women. Unequal access to care may contribute to this racial disparity. This study aimed to assess whether survival varied between non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) women with EC in the Military Health System (MHS) which provides equal access care to its beneficiaries despite racial/ethnic background.

METHODS

The study was conducted using data from the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR). Study subjects included NHB and NHW women with histologically confirmed and surgically managed EC diagnosed between 1988 and 2013. The study outcome was all-cause death. Overall survival between NHB and NHW women was compared using multivariable Cox modeling.

RESULTS

The study included 144 NHB and 1439 NHW women with EC. Kaplan-Meier curves showed NHB women had worse survival than NHW women (log-rank P < 0.0001). The disparity in survival between NHB and NHW women persisted after adjusting for age, diagnosis period, tumor stage, tumor histology/grade, and adjuvant treatment (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.27). Multivariable analyses stratified by tumor features or treatment showed that the racial disparity was confined to women with low-risk features (stage I/II disease or low-grade EC) or no adjuvant treatment.

CONCLUSION

There were racial differences in overall survival between NHB and NHW women with EC in the MHS equal access healthcare system, suggesting that factors other than access to care may be related to this racial disparity.

Pharmacotherapy decisions among postmenopausal women attending a group medical consultation or a one-on-one specialist consultation at an osteoporosis center: an observational cohort study

Group medical visits for osteoporosis can improve access to care while being highly accepted by patients. In this study, a similar proportion of women planned to initiate pharmacotherapy after attending a group or traditional one-on-one osteoporosis consultation, indicating that the group consultation model does not produce unexpected treatment decisions.

INTRODUCTION

Group medical consultations for osteoporosis are time-efficient and highly accepted by patients, but effects on treatment decisions are unknown. We aimed to compare women's decisions to initiate or decline osteoporosis pharmacotherapy after attending either a group or transitional one-on-one osteoporosis consultation.

METHODS

In this observational study, we prospectively evaluated postmenopausal women referred to an osteoporosis clinic who attended a group medical visit and compared their decisions regarding pharmacologic osteoporosis treatment with retrospective data from a cohort of women who attended a traditional consultation. Both consultation types involved interaction with a specialist physician, individualized fracture risk estimation (using FRAX®), and education regarding fracture consequences and available osteoporosis medications. Both forms of consultation emphasized shared decision-making; however, group consultation attendees did not receive personalized treatment recommendations from the physician.

RESULTS

We reviewed the records of 125 women (median age 63 years) who attended a group consultation and 83 women (median age 64 years) who attended a traditional consultation between 2016 and 2019. Twenty-four (19%) of the group cohort and 16 (19%) of the traditional cohort were at high 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fracture (FRAX® ≥ 20.0%). A similar proportion planned to initiate pharmacologic therapy after the group and traditional consultations (23% vs 16%, p = 0.22); these proportions were comparable among women at high risk (42% vs 50%, p = 0.75) and moderate risk (19% vs 15%, p = 0.77), but a higher proportion of low-risk women planned to initiate therapy after the group consultation (18% vs 0%, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Patient decisions to initiate pharmacologic treatment made during a group visit are similar to those made during traditional one-on-one consultation. The group consultation model represents an alternative to one-on-one assessment for delivering osteoporosis consultative services.

Interpretation of osteoporotic vertebral deformity on frontal view radiographs of the chest and abdomen: a pictorial review

Osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) has high prevalence in the elderly population. It affects at least one-fourth of all postmenopausal women and is commonly seen among women approximately one decade after menopause. A vertebral fracture, after minor trauma, is a hallmark of osteoporosis. Many fractures and associated complications, including secondary fractures and mortality, can be prevented by routine osteoporosis screening in older people and timely treatment initiation in at-risk individuals. Depending on the technical condition of the radiographs, a substantial portion of moderate to severe grades OVFs in mid-thoracic and lower thoracic spine as well as lumbar spine can be detected on a frontal view digital radiograph of the chest or abdomen. Radiologists should pay attention to the potential existence of an OVF while reading chest and abdominal radiographs of elderly female subjects. In this pictorial review, we describe our experience in evaluating the normal shaped and deformed vertebrae on chest and abdominal radiographs.

The role of radiography in the study of spinal disorders

Despite the growing use of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the study of spinal disorders, radiography still plays an important role in many conditions affecting the spine. However, the study and interpretation of spine radiograph is receiving less attention and radiologists are increasingly unfamiliar with the typical findings in normal and pathologic conditions of the spine. The aim of this article is to review the radiologic indications of radiograph in different pathologic conditions that affect the spine, including congenital, traumatic, degenerative, inflammatory, infectious and tumour disorders, as well as their main radiographic manifestations.

Use of path modeling to inform a clinical decision support application to encourage osteoporosis medication use

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis medication use is suboptimal. Simple interventions personalized to a patients' stage of readiness are needed to encourage osteoporosis medication use.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate interrelationships of sociodemographic factors, perceived fracture risk, health literacy, receipt of medication information, medication trust and readiness to use osteoporosis medication; and apply observed relationships to inform design specifications for a clinical decision support application that can be used for personalized patient counseling.

METHODS

Data from a national sample of older women (n = 1759) with self-reported history of fractures and no current use of osteoporosis medication treatment were used to estimate an acceptable path model that describes associations among key sociodemographic characteristics, health literacy, perceived fracture risk, receipt of osteoporosis medication information within the past year, trust in osteoporosis medications, and readiness to use osteoporosis medication. Path model results were used to inform an application for personalized patient counseling that can be easily integrated into clinical decision support systems.

RESULTS

Increased age (β = 0.13), trust for medications (β = 0.12), higher perceived fracture risk (β = 0.21), and having received medication information within the past year (β = 0.21) were all positively associated with readiness to use osteoporosis medication (p < 0.0001). Whereas, health literacy (β = -0.09) was inversely associated with readiness to use osteoporosis medication (p < 0.0001). Using these results, a brief 6-item question set was constructed for simple integration into clinical decision support applications. Patient responses were used to inform a provider dashboard that integrates a patient's stage of readiness for osteoporosis medication use, predictors of readiness, and personalized counseling points appropriate to their stage of readiness.

CONCLUSION

Content of counseling strategies must be aligned with a patient's stage of readiness to use treatment. Path modeling can be effectively used to identify factors for inclusion in an evidenced-based clinical decision support application designed to assist providers with personalized patient counseling and osteoporosis medication use decisions.

National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Research Gaps for Long-Term Drug Therapies for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention

On 30 and 31 October 2018, the National Institutes of Health convened the Pathways to Prevention (P2P) Workshop: Appropriate Use of Drug Therapies for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention to assess the available evidence on long-term (>3 years) use of drug therapies to prevent osteoporotic fractures and identify research gaps and needs for advancing the field. The workshop was cosponsored by the NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and National Institute on Aging. A multidisciplinary working group developed the agenda, and an Evidence-based Practice Center prepared an evidence report through a contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to facilitate the discussion. During the 1.5-day workshop, invited experts discussed the body of evidence and attendees had the opportunity to comment during open discussions. After data from the evidence report, expert presentations, and public comments were weighed, an unbiased independent panel prepared a draft report that was posted on the ODP Web site for 5 weeks for public comment. This final report summarizes the panel's findings and recommendations. Current gaps in knowledge are highlighted, and a set of recommendations for new, strengthened research to better inform the long-term use of osteoporotic drug therapies is delineated.

Extensive undertreatment of osteoporosis in older Swedish women

In a population-based study of older Swedish women, we investigated the proportion of women treated with osteoporosis medication in relation to the proportion of women eligible for treatment according to national guidelines. We found that only a minority (22%) of those eligible for treatment were prescribed osteoporosis medication.

INTRODUCTION

Fracture rates increase markedly in old age and the incidence of hip fracture in Swedish women is among the highest in the world. Although effective pharmacological treatment is available, treatment rates remain low. Limited data are available regarding treatment rates in relation to fracture risk in a population-based setting in older women. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the proportion of older women eligible for treatment according to Swedish Osteoporosis Society (SvOS) guidelines.

METHODS

A population-based study was performed in Gothenburg in 3028 older women (77.8 ± 1.6 years [mean ± SD]). Bone mineral density of the spine and hip was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical risk factors for fracture and data regarding osteoporosis medication was collected with self-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether the 10-year probability of sustaining a major osteoporotic fracture (FRAX-score) or its components predicted treatment with osteoporosis medication.

RESULTS

For the 2983 women with complete data, 1107 (37%) women were eligible for treatment using SvOS criteria. The proportion of these women receiving treatment was 21.8%. For women eligible for treatment according to SvOS guidelines, strong predictors for receiving osteoporosis medication were glucocorticoid treatment (odds ratio (95% CI) 2.88 (1.80-4.59)) and prior fracture (2.58 (1.84-3.61)).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that a substantial proportion of older Swedish women should be considered for osteoporosis medication given their high fracture risk, but that only a minority receives treatment.

Medication Decision-making in Osteoporosis: Can We Explain Why Patients Do Not Take Their Osteoporosis Medications?

Patients at high risk of fracture often do not take medication for osteoporosis. Recent literature may give us some insights into why patients at high risk of fracture do not take medications for osteoporosis.

Critical issues and current challenges in osteoporosis and fracture prevention. An overview of unmet needs

Osteoporosis is a silent disease with increasing prevalence due to the global ageing population. Decreased bone strength and bone quality is the hallmark of osteoporosis which leads to an increased risk of fragility fractures in elderly. It has been estimated that approximately ~50% of women will suffer during their lifetime from an osteoporotic fracture. This must be considered as a major health concern, as it has previously been established that fragility fracture has been associated with decreased quality of life due to increased disability, more frequent hospital admission and most importantly, osteoporotic fractures have been related to an augmented mortality risk. Anti-osteoporotic drugs are available for improving bone quality. Although there is access to these therapeutic options, there remain multiple unmet needs in the field of osteoporosis and fracture care, for example, the primary prevention of osteoporosis in young individuals (to reach a high peak bone mass), the optimization of the use of imaging techniques [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) and new techniques measuring bone quality], the use of nonmedical treatment options and surgical techniques of fracture healing. In this review, we will discuss topics that play a role in the occurrence and prevention of fractures, and we give an overview of and insight into the critical issues and challenges around osteoporosis and fracture prevention.

Critical issues and current challenges in osteoporosis and fracture prevention. An overview of unmet needs

Osteoporosis is a silent disease with increasing prevalence due to the global ageing population. Decreased bone strength and bone quality is the hallmark of osteoporosis which leads to an increased risk of fragility fractures in elderly. It has been estimated that approximately ~50% of women will suffer during their lifetime from an osteoporotic fracture. This must be considered as a major health concern, as it has previously been established that fragility fracture has been associated with decreased quality of life due to increased disability, more frequent hospital admission and most importantly, osteoporotic fractures have been related to an augmented mortality risk. Anti-osteoporotic drugs are available for improving bone quality. Although there is access to these therapeutic options, there remain multiple unmet needs in the field of osteoporosis and fracture care, for example, the primary prevention of osteoporosis in young individuals (to reach a high peak bone mass), the optimization of the use of imaging techniques [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) and new techniques measuring bone quality], the use of nonmedical treatment options and surgical techniques of fracture healing. In this review, we will discuss topics that play a role in the occurrence and prevention of fractures, and we give an overview of and insight into the critical issues and challenges around osteoporosis and fracture prevention.

Reasons for Not Treating Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis with Prescription Medications: Physicians' and Patients' Perspectives

BACKGROUND

In the United States, between one-third and two thirds of postmenopausal women do not begin treatment with a prescription osteoporosis medication after a diagnosis of osteoporosis. The objective of this study was to understand the reasons for this lack of treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Online physician and patient surveys were administered in 2013. The physician survey included a chart review of untreated postmenopausal women recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and gathered data on physicians' practices regarding the management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The patient survey was given to untreated postmenopausal women with a recent osteoporosis diagnosis.

RESULTS

The physician survey was completed by 224 physicians, who also reviewed 811 patient charts. A total of 165 patients completed the patient survey. In the chart review, physicians reported that 19% of the postmenopausal women they diagnosed with osteoporosis were not prescribed an osteoporosis medication. The patient declined a physician's recommendation for pharmacological treatment in 81% and 52% of cases in the physician and patient surveys, respectively. The most frequent reasons for physicians not recommending treatment were: low calcium and/or vitamin D levels, patients potentially at risk of medication side effects, pre-existing gastrointestinal problems, and polypharmacy. The most frequent reasons for patients deciding against treatment were: concerns about side effects, considering nonprescription options and behavioral modifications, and questioning the potential benefit of taking the medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients decided against pharmacological treatment of newly diagnosed osteoporosis in at least half of the cases of nontreatment. The principal reasons for not being treated with a prescription medication, given by both physicians and patients, were that there were alternatives and concern about the risks of prescription medications.

Examining the treatment gap and risk of subsequent fractures among females with a fragility fracture in the US Medicare population

Our aim was to evaluate the gap in osteoporosis treatment and the impact of osteoporosis treatment on subsequent fragility fractures. We found osteoporosis medication use lowered risk of subsequent fractures by 21% and that black race, higher CCI scores, dementia, and kidney diseases reduced the likelihood of osteoporosis medication use.

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this study was to evaluate the predictors of osteoporosis medication use and compare the risk of fragility fractures within 1 year of a fragility fracture between osteoporosis treated and untreated women.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study using the national Medicare database. Elderly women (≥65 years) who were hospitalized or had an outpatient/ER service for fragility fracture between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 were included. The outcomes of interest were the correlates of and time-to-osteoporosis medication use and risk of a subsequent fracture within 12 months for treated and untreated women. Cox regression was used to evaluate the predictors of treatment use and the risk of fracture based on treatment status.

RESULTS

Women (28,722) (27.7%) were treated with osteoporosis medication within 12 months of index fracture, and 74,979 (72.2%) were untreated. A number of patient characteristics were associated with a reduced likelihood of osteoporosis medication use, including black race, higher Charlson comorbidity index scores, presence of dementia, and kidney diseases in the baseline. The predictor most strongly and positively associated with osteoporosis medication use after fracture was osteoporosis medication use before fragility fracture (HR = 7.87; 95% CI 7.67-8.07). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, osteoporosis medication use lowered the risk of subsequent fractures by 21% (HR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.75-0.83) over 12 months compared to women without treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Demographics and clinical characteristics were strong predictors of osteoporosis medication use. In the US Medicare population, osteoporosis treatment significantly reduced the risk of fragility fractures.

Modifying the Phenotypic Frailty Model in Predicting Risk of Major Osteoporotic Fracture in the Elderly

INTRODUCTION

The phenotypic frailty (PF) model (including slow walking, low physical activity, exhaustion, weakness, and unintentional weight loss) has been widely used to quantify the degree of frailty and predict risks of adverse health outcomes for the elderly. However, evidence has shown that not all the components included in the PF model contribute equally, and low predictive accuracy of the PF model has been reported in predicting risks of outcomes. We aimed to improve predictive accuracy of the PF model in risk of major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) in the elderly by modifying its weighting of individual components.

METHODS

Data from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) 3-year Hamilton cohort were used for this study. We used the multivariable Cox regression model to identify the updated weighting for components in the original PF model. The goodness of fit and discrimination were assessed for model performances.

RESULTS

There were 3985 women included for analyses (mean age: 69.4 years). In the modified PF model, the updated weighting was 3 points for slowness and weakness, 2 points for weight loss, 1 point for poor endurance and exhaustion, and 1 point for low physical activity, respectively. The modified PF model could capture and categorize the future risk of MOF more accurately than the original model. Significant relationship between risks of MOF, falls, and death and the modified PF model was found. Compared with the original model, the modified PF model was a better fit to the data and with improved predictive accuracy.

CONCLUSION

Based on a simple and practical rescoring and recategorizing algorithm, the modified PF model could predict risks of adverse outcomes more accurately than the original model, reflecting a cost-effective way. More evidence is needed to validate the modified PF model and support its application in geriatric practice.

High rate of non-treatment among osteoporotic women enrolled in a US Medicare plan

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the rate of non-treatment among elderly women with osteoporosis (OP) and to examine the association between patient characteristics and receiving treatment.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study utilized patient information and claims from the Humana database to identify Medicare covered women aged ≥65 years old and continuously enrolled with evidence of either an OP diagnosis or an OP-related fracture during 2007-2011. The main outcome was receipt of pharmacological treatment of OP during 2012 (follow-up). The percentage of non-treatment was calculated and a stepwise selection logistic regression model was employed to estimate the association between baseline demographic and clinical characteristics and receiving treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 109,829 patients were included. Mean age was 75.7 years and 79.4% were identified with OP through OP diagnosis codes and did not have evidence of a prior fracture. Approximately one-third (32%) of patients had used OP medications during the baseline period, and 39% had experienced at least one gastro-intestinal event during baseline. Among all patients, 71.4% did not receive OP therapy during follow-up. The strongest factor associated with receiving treatment was prior use of OP therapy (odds ratio [OR] = 31.3; p < .001). Among the subgroup of patients with baseline fractures, 75.9% did not receive OP therapy during follow-up and the strongest factor associated with receiving treatment remained prior use of OP therapy (OR = 20.4; p < .001). Those with high comorbidity burden were less likely to receive treatment in both the overall cohort and within the subgroup with baseline fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

Among Medicare-eligible women aged ≥65 identified with OP between 2007 and 2011, 71.4% did not receive OP treatment during 2012, including 75.9% of the subgroup of patients with a prior fracture. The use of diagnosis and procedures codes to identify patients with osteoporosis is subject to variation in coding.

Frailty Change and Major Osteoporotic Fracture in the Elderly: Data from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women 3-Year Hamilton Cohort

Investigating the cumulative rate of deficits and the change of a frailty index (FI) chronologically is helpful in clinical and research settings in the elderly. However, limited evidence for the change of frailty before and after some nonfatal adverse health event such as a major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) is available. Data from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women 3-Year Hamilton cohort were used in this study. The changes of FI before and after onset of MOF were compared between the women with and without incident MOF. We also evaluated the relationship between risk of MOF, falls, and death and the change of FI and the absolute FI measures. There were 3985 women included in this study (mean age 69.4 years). The change of FI was significantly larger in the women with MOF than those without MOF at year 1 (0.085 versus 0.067, p = 0.036) and year 2 (0.080 versus 0.052, p = 0.042) post-baseline. The FI change was not significantly related with risk of MOF independently of age. However, the absolute FI measures were significantly associated with increased risk of MOF, falls, and death independently of age. In summary, the increase of the FI is significantly larger in the elderly women experiencing a MOF than their peer controls, indicating their worsening frailty and greater deficit accumulation after a MOF. Measures of the FI change may aid in the understanding of cumulative aging nature in the elderly and serve as an instrument for intervention planning and assessment.

Development of a cloud-based application for the Fracture Liaison Service model of care

The aims of this study are to develop a cloud-based application of the Fracture Liaison Service for practitioners to coordinate the care of osteoporotic patients after suffering primary fractures and provide a performance feedback portal for practitioners to determine quality of care. The application provides continuity of care, improved patient outcomes, and reduced medical costs.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to describe the content development and functionality of a cloud-based application to broadly deploy the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) to coordinate post-fracture care for osteoporotic patients.

METHODS

The Bone Health Collaborative developed the FLS application in 2013 to support practitioners' access to information and management of patients and provide a feedback portal for practitioners to track their performance in providing quality care. A five-step protocol (identify, inform, initiate, investigate, and iterate) organized osteoporotic post-fracture care-related tasks and timelines for the application. A range of descriptive data about the patient, their medical condition, therapies and care, and current providers can be collected. Seven quality of care measures from the National Quality Forum, The Joint Commission, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services can be tracked through the application.

RESULTS

There are five functional areas including home, tasks, measures, improvement, and data. The home, tasks, and data pages are used to enter patient information and coordinate care using the five-step protocol. Measures and improvement pages are used to enter quality measures and provide practitioners with continuous performance feedback. The application resides within a portal, running on a multitenant, private cloud-based Avedis enterprise registry platform. All data are encrypted in transit and users access the application using a password from any common web browser.

CONCLUSION

The application could spread the FLS model of care across the US health care system, provide continuity of care, effectively manage osteoporotic patients, improve outcomes, and reduce medical costs.

Gastrointestinal events and association with initiation of treatment for osteoporosis

Background

Preexisting gastrointestinal (GI) events may deter the use of pharmacologic treatment in patients diagnosed with osteoporosis (OP). The objective of this study was to examine the association between preexisting GI events and OP pharmacotherapy initiation among women diagnosed with OP.

Methods

The study utilized claims data from a large US managed care database to identify women aged ≥55 years with a diagnosis code for OP (index date) during 2002–2009. Patients with a claim for pharmacologic OP treatment in the 12-month pre-index period (baseline) were excluded. OP treatment initiation in the post-index period was defined as a claim for bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid), calcitonin, raloxifene, or teriparatide. During the post-index period (up to 12 months), GI events were identified before treatment initiation. A time-dependent Cox regression model was used to investigate the likelihood of initiating any OP treatment. Among patients initiating OP treatment, a discrete choice model was utilized to assess the relationship between post-index GI events and likelihood of initiating with a bisphosphonate versus a non-bisphosphonate.

Results

In total, 65,344 patients (mean age 66 years) were included; 23.7% had a GI event post diagnosis and before treatment initiation. Post-index GI events were associated with a 75% lower likelihood of any treatment initiation (hazard ratio 0.25; 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.26). Among treated patients (n=23,311), those with post-index GI events were 39% less likely to receive a bisphosphonate versus a non-bisphosphonate (odds ratio 0.61; 95% confidence interval 0.54–0.68).

Conclusion

GI events after OP diagnosis were associated with a decreased likelihood of OP treatment initiation and an increased likelihood of treatment initiation with a non-bisphosphonate versus a bisphosphonate.

Undertreatment of osteoporosis and the role of gastrointestinal events among elderly osteoporotic women with Medicare Part D drug coverage

Objectives

To examine the rate of osteoporosis (OP) undertreatment and the association between gastrointestinal (GI) events and OP treatment initiation among elderly osteoporotic women with Medicare Part D drug coverage.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study utilized a 20% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Included were women ≥66 years old with Medicare Part D drug coverage, newly diagnosed with OP in 2007–2008 (first diagnosis date as the index date), and with no prior OP treatment. GI event was defined as a diagnosis or procedure for a GI condition between OP diagnosis and treatment initiation or at the end of a 12-month follow-up, whichever occurred first. OP treatment initiation was defined as the use of any bisphosphonate (BIS) or non-BIS within 1 year postindex. Logistic regression, adjusted for patient characteristics, was used to model the association between 1) GI events and OP treatment initiation (treated versus nontreated); and 2) GI events and type of initial therapy (BIS versus non-BIS) among treated patients only.

Results

A total of 126,188 women met the inclusion criteria: 72.1% did not receive OP medication within 1 year of diagnosis and 27.9% had GI events. Patients with a GI event were 75.7% less likely to start OP treatment (odds ratio [OR]=0.243; P<0.001); among treated patients, patients with a GI event had 11.3% lower odds of starting with BIS versus non-BIS (OR=0.887; P<0.001).

Conclusion

Among elderly women newly diagnosed with OP, only 28% initiated OP treatment. GI events were associated with a higher likelihood of not being treated and, among treated patients, a lower likelihood of being treated with BIS versus non-BIS.

Association of gastrointestinal events and osteoporosis treatment initiation in newly diagnosed osteoporotic Israeli women

BACKGROUND

The objective was to examine the association of gastrointestinal (GI) events and osteoporosis treatment initiation patterns among postmenopausal women following an osteoporosis diagnosis from an Israeli health plan.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis of claims records included women aged ≥ 55 years with ≥ 1 osteoporosis diagnosis (date of first diagnosis was index date). Osteoporosis treatment initiation was defined as use of osteoporosis therapy (oral bisphosphonates or other) during 12 months postindex. GI events (diagnosis of GI conditions) were reported for 12 months preindex and postindex (from index to treatment initiation or 1 year postindex, whichever occurred first). The association of postindex GI events (yes/no) with the initiation of osteoporosis treatment (yes/no) and with type of therapy initiated (oral bisphosphonate vs. other) were examined with logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression (as sensitivity analysis).

RESULTS

Among 30,788 eligible patients, 17.5% had preindex GI events and 13.0% had postindex GI events. About 70.6% of patients received no osteoporosis therapy within 1 year of diagnosis, 24.9% received oral bisphosphonates and 4.5% received other medications. Postindex GI events were associated with lower odds of osteoporosis medication initiation (85-86% reduced likelihood; p < 0.01). Upon treatment initiation, postindex GI was not significantly associated with the type of osteoporosis therapy initiated, controlling for baseline GI events and patient characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Among newly diagnosed osteoporotic women from a large Israeli health plan, 70.6% did not receive osteoporosis treatment within 1 year of diagnosis. The presence of GI events was associated with reduced likelihood of osteoporosis treatment initiation.

Reasons for not initiating osteoporosis therapy among a managed care population

BACKGROUND

Many women with osteoporosis do not initiate osteoporosis treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To examine patients' reasons for not initiating osteoporosis treatment among women with osteoporosis.

METHODS

Survey recipients were identified from a national US claims database and included women ≥55 years with an osteoporosis diagnosis from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012 as defined by: 1) osteoporosis diagnosis coupled with bone mineral density test within 183 days of diagnosis and/or 2) osteoporosis-related fracture. Eligibility required no claims for osteoporosis medication 1) at least 12 months and up to 5 years prior to osteoporosis diagnosis and 2) at least 6 months after osteoporosis diagnosis. Continuous enrollment for 18 months (6 months pre-osteoporosis and 12 months post-osteoporosis diagnosis) was also required. A total of 2,000 patients with the most recent osteoporosis diagnosis were mailed a survey. Respondents reporting that they did not initiate physician-recommended osteoporosis medication, after either their physician told them they had osteoporosis or they experienced a fracture since age 45 years, were asked for reasons why they did not initiate treatment.

RESULTS

There were 430 patients who returned a complete survey; mean age was 61% and 21.6% had a fracture. A total of 197 (45.8%) patients reported their physician diagnosed osteoporosis and 117 (59.3%) of those were recommended osteoporosis medication; 44 of the 117 patients (37.6%) did not initiate recommended osteoporosis medication by the time of survey. The primary reasons for not initiating osteoporosis medication were concern over side effects (77.3%), medication costs (34.1%), and pre-existing gastrointestinal concerns (25.0%).

CONCLUSION

Among respondents, 41% of patients whose physician diagnosed osteoporosis were not recommended osteoporosis treatment and 38% of patients who were recommended osteoporosis treatment did not initiate treatment within approximately 2 years of diagnosis. Concerns with side effects of osteoporosis treatment, medication costs, and pre-existing gastrointestinal concerns were the most common reasons for not initiating recommended treatment.

Management of osteoporosis of the oldest old

This consensus article reviews the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in geriatric populations. Specifically, it reviews the risk assessment and intervention thresholds, the impact of nutritional deficiencies, fall prevention strategies, pharmacological treatments and their safety considerations, the risks of sub-optimal treatment adherence and strategies for its improvement.

INTRODUCTION

This consensus article reviews the therapeutic strategies and management options for the treatment of osteoporosis of the oldest old. This vulnerable segment (persons over 80 years of age) stands to gain substantially from effective anti-osteoporosis treatment, but the under-prescription of these treatments is frequent.

METHODS

This report is the result of an ESCEO (European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis) expert working group, which explores some of the reasons for this and presents the arguments to counter these beliefs. The risk assessment of older individuals is briefly reviewed along with the differences between some intervention guidelines. The current evidence on the impact of nutritional deficiencies (i.e. calcium, protein and vitamin D) is presented, as are strategies to prevent falls. One possible reason for the under-prescription of pharmacological treatments for osteoporosis in the oldest old is the perception that anti-fracture efficacy requires long-term treatment. However, a review of the data shows convincing anti-fracture efficacy already by 12 months.

RESULTS

The safety profiles of these pharmacological agents are generally satisfactory in this patient segment provided a few precautions are followed.

CONCLUSION

These patients should be considered for particular consultation/follow-up procedures in the effort to convince on the benefits of treatment and to allay fears of adverse drug reactions, since poor adherence is a major problem for the success of a strategy for osteoporosis and limits cost-effectiveness.

Multimorbidity in women with and without osteoporosis: results from a large US retrospective cohort study 2004-2009

To determine the incidence of comorbidities in women with and without osteoporosis, incidence rates per 1,000 person-years were calculated using electronic health records from an integrated healthcare system. The overall comorbidity burden and health service utilization were greater in women with osteoporosis than in the controls.

INTRODUCTION

This retrospective cohort study describes the incidence of an array of comorbidities in women with and without osteoporosis (OP).

METHODS

Using electronic health records from an integrated healthcare system, we identified 22,414 women aged 55-89 years with OP and 22,414 age-matched controls without OP. Incidence rates (IRs) per 1,000 person-years (P-Y) were calculated and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated.

RESULTS

Women with OP had significantly more comorbidities, medications, hospitalizations, and outpatient visits than the controls. Most cardiac comorbidity rates were 20-25% lower in the OP cohort than in the control cohort. Hypertension had the largest rate difference; the IR was 42.0 per 1,000 P-Y (95% CI 40.2-44.0) in the OP cohort compared to 94.0 (95% CI 90.7-97.4) in the control cohort. Rates for cerebrovascular disease were similar for both cohorts at 26 per 1,000 P-Y. Bronchitis, sinusitis, and cystitis were each 55 per 1,000 P-Y in the OP cohort, whereas they ranged from 28 to 34 per 1,000 P-Y in the controls. The OP cohort had decreased incidence of ovarian, uterine, colorectal, and liver cancers and increased incidence of lung cancer, breast cancer, and multiple myeloma, compared to the non-OP cohort. Falls, depression, vision, and musculoskeletal issues were higher for the OP cohort than the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the high disease burden in women with OP. This knowledge may help guide the clinical management of this population and may aid in the interpretation of adverse events in randomized clinical trials of OP therapies.

Insights from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW)

GLOW is an observational, longitudinal, practice-based cohort study of osteoporosis in 60,393 women aged ≥55 years in 10 countries on three continents. In this Review, we present insights from the first 3 years of the study. Despite cost analyses being frequently based on spine and hip fractures, we found that nonvertebral, nonhip fractures were around five times more common and doubled the use of health-care resources compared with hip and spine fractures combined. Fractures not at the four so-called major sites in FRAX(®) (upper arm, forearm, hip and clinical vertebral fractures) account for >40% of all fractures. The risk of fracture is increased by various comorbidities, such as Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis and lung and heart disease. Obesity, although thought to be protective against all fractures, substantially increased the risk of fractures in the ankle or lower leg. Simple assessment by age plus fracture history has good predictive value for all fractures, but risk profiles differ for first and subsequent fractures. Fractures diminish quality of life as much or more than diabetes mellitus, arthritis and lung disease, yet women substantially underestimate their own fracture risk. Treatment rates in patients at high risk of fracture are below those recommended but might be too frequent in women at low risk. Comorbidities and the limits of current therapeutic regimens jeopardize the efficacy of drugs; new regimens should be explored for severe cases.

Frailty index of deficit accumulation and falls: data from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) Hamilton cohort

Background

To investigate the association between frailty index (FI) of deficit accumulation and risk of falls, fractures, death and overnight hospitalizations in women aged 55 years and older.

Methods

The data were from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) Hamilton Cohort. In this 3-year longitudinal, observational cohort study, women (N = 3,985) aged ≥55 years were enrolled between May 2008 and March 2009 in Hamilton, Canada. A FI including co-morbidities, activities of daily living, symptoms and signs, and healthcare utilization was constructed using 34 health deficits at baseline. Relationship between the FI and falls, fractures, death and overnight hospitalizations was examined.

Results

The FI was significantly associated with age, with a mean rate of deficit accumulation across baseline age of 0.004 or 0.021 (on a log scale) per year. During the third year of follow-up, 1,068 (31.89%) women reported at least one fall. Each increment of 0.01 on the FI was associated with a significantly increased risk of falls during the third year of follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.03). The area under the curve (AUC) of the predictive model was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.67-0.71). Results of subgroup and sensitivity analyses indicated the relationship between the FI and risk of falls was robust, while bootstrap analysis judged its internal validation. The FI was significantly related to fractures (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03), death (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.06) during the 3-year follow-up period and overnight hospitalizations (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.02-1.03) for an increase of 0.01 on the FI during the third year of follow-up. Measured by per standard deviation (SD) increment of the FI, the ORs were 1.21 and 1.40 for falls and death respectively, while the HR was 1.17 for fractures and the IRR was 1.18 for overnight hospitalizations respectively.

Conclusion

The FI of deficit accumulation increased with chronological age significantly. The FI was associated with and predicted increased risk of falls, fractures, death and overnight hospitalizations significantly.

Concern and risk perception: effects on osteoprotective behaviour

This study aimed to determine the effect that level of concern for osteoporosis, as well as self-perceived risk of osteoporosis and fracture, has on supplementation use, seeking medical advice, bone mineral density (BMD) testing, and antiosteoporosis medication (AOM) use. Study subjects were 1,095 female Australian participants of the Global Longitudinal study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) untreated for osteoporosis at baseline. Study outcomes from self-administered questionnaires included calcium and vitamin D supplementation, self-reported seeking of medical advice regarding osteoporosis, BMD testing, and AOM use in the last 12 months at the late assessment. Logistic regression was used in the analysis. Concern significantly increased the likelihood of seeking medical advice and, however, had no significant impact on screening or treatment. Heightened self-perceived risks of osteoporosis and fracture both significantly increased the likelihood of seeking medical advice and BMD testing while elevated self-perceived risk of fracture increased AOM use. Supplementation use was not significantly associated with concern levels and risk perception. Concern and risk perceptions to osteoporosis and fracture were significantly associated with certain bone-protective behaviours. However, the disconnect between perceived osteoporosis risk and AOM use illustrates the need to emphasize the connection between osteoporosis and fracture in future education programs.

Substantial under-treatment among women diagnosed with osteoporosis in a US managed-care population: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Multiple therapies are approved for the treatment of osteoporosis (OP), but many patients with osteoporosis may not initiate treatment upon osteoporosis diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize initiation of pharmacologic OP treatment among women within 1 year of OP diagnosis in a US managed care population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The retrospective cohort study included women aged ≥55 years with a claims-documented diagnosis of OP who were naïve to OP medications prior to OP diagnosis (index date) during 2001-2010. Continuous enrollment for 12 months before (baseline) and after (follow-up) the index date was required. Patients who received OP medications but did not have an OP diagnosis were excluded. Differences in baseline characteristics between the treated and untreated cohorts were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum (continuous variables) and chi-square tests (categorical variables).

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

During the follow-up period, the percentages of patients treated with bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid) and non-bisphosphonates (calcitonin, raloxifene, teriparatide) were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 65,344 patients, mean age 65.7 years, met study inclusion exclusion criteria. During the follow-up period, 42,033 patients (64.3%) received no OP medication and 23,311 patients (35.7%) received OP treatment. A total of 20,200 patients (30.9% of total study population) received bisphosphonates and 3111 (4.8% of total) patients received non-bisphosphonates as their index medication. At baseline, untreated patients were slightly older and had higher rates of hypertension, chronic inflammatory joint disease, diabetes mellitus, and gastrointestinal events (p ≤ 0.01) compared with treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Among women aged ≥55 years in a US managed-care population, 64.3% received no pharmacologic treatment within 1 year after being diagnosed with OP. The authors were not able to determine if untreated patients did not receive or did not fill a prescription. Further research is needed to understand the barriers to OP treatment and reasons for non-treatment.