Endocrine Abstracts

Osteoporosis is a debilitating condition that can be prevented by timely detection and treatment. Detection requires referral for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) that depends on risk factors. We estimated the importance of risk factors for a T-score of <−2.5 measured by spine and hip DXA in all men and women referred from general practice for a DXA scan at Aalborg University Hospital during a 3 years period. Risk factors were assessed by questionnaire and referral papers. A total of 5335 women and 818 men were referred: 3042 aged 50–69 years/1726 aged 70 years or above/484 aged 80 years or above. A low T-score was found in 33.2/41.1/46.9% respectively (P<0.001). No risk factors were identified in 13.3/15.3/17.4% (P=0.10) when aged was excluded as a risk factor. Risk factor occurrence differed between the age groups 50-69/70-79/80+ years for family history (46/25/15%; P<0.001), predisposing disease (21/30/25%; P<0.001), steroid use (5.6/12.3/13.2%; P<0.001), low sun exposure (12.8/16.5/24%; P<0.001), smoking 25/19/10%; P<0.001), and high alcohol intake (5.8/5.1/2.0%; P=0.004), while not for premature menopause (21/20/15%; P=0.12), low intake of dairy products (4.3/4.4/2.5%; P=0.18), or low BMI (2.4/2.0/2.0%; P=0.69). Fragility fractures increased with age (women, 21/39/49%, P<0.001; men, 24/32/29%, P=0.088). In conclusion, the T-score and fracture dependence on family history, sun exposure, smoking, and alcohol intake was as expected. However, the limited change in risk factor occurrence with age suggests that age per se had too low impact on referral for DXA scanning, even though age is a major determinant of fracture risk.