Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Hospital physicians are indoor workers, with higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency as compared to community-based physicians. The correlation between vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis later in life has not been fully studied, and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly hospital physicians has not been systematically examined.

Methods: A cross-sectional study measuring BMD in hospital male physicians aged 65 and older was carried out. BMD was measured at the hip, spine and distal forearm. FRAX analysis with BMD was performed, using the IOF recommended FRAX cut-offs for treatment (10-year probability of hip fracture ≥3% and 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture ≥20%).

Results: 51 male physicians, employees and pensioners, participated in our study. The mean age was 71 years (median 69 years; range 65–86), all of them naive to specific treatment for osteoporosis. 14/51(27%) had osteoporosis, 7 of them defined only by distal forearm examination. 29 (56%) had osteopenia, 4 of them defined only by distal forearm examination. According to their FRAX score, 9 of the osteopenic examinees had high risk of major osteoporotic fracture and/or hip fracture.

Conclusion: In elderly hospital-based male physicians, the prevalence of osteoporosis is higher than expected. After adding the FRAX score results, 45% of the physicians would require specific treatment for fracture prevention, according to customary international clinical guidelines. Using only hip and spine BMD, 31% would require treatment. Based on our data we suggest screening elderly physicians for osteoporosis.