Endocrine Abstracts

Osteoporosis is a prevalent condition mainly involving the elderly with an increased risk of fractures, morbidity and mortality. Partly due to ageing of the population there is an increase in the prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures. It is estimated that one in five men will experience a fragility fracture after the age of 50 years. Apart from lifestyle factors such as increasing physical exercise, adequate status of calcium and vitamin D, the cessation of smoking and moderation of alcohol intake, there are multiple treatment options for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures including antiresorptive agents such as bisphosphonates and denosumab and anabolic therapy with recombinant human parathyroid hormone (rhPTH) analogues.

The ultimate goal in the treatment of osteoporosis is the reduction in fracture risk with an increase in BMD and restoration in bone microarchitecture. With current available drugs the reduction in risk of fractures is much higher for vertebral than for non-vertebral fractures. No therapy with osteoporosis drugs will be able prevent all fractures and the definition of treatment failure is lacking. An important issue among clinicians is when to stop therapy and when to consider switching drug. These issues will be discussed during this workshop, illustrated with clinical cases.