Age impact on clinical risk factors does not justify the age related change in referral pattern for osteoporosis assessment - Data from the Aalborg University Hospital Record for Osteoporosis Risk Assessment (AURORA).
Osteoporotic fractures with subsequent disability, dependency and premature death are increasingly common with age. Yet, referral for osteoporosis evaluation decreases with age. Why is this, and is it justified?
To assess if age changes the impact of clinical risk factors for osteoporosis.
Clinical risk factors for osteoporosis were informed by a questionnaire and recorded in the AURORA database along with anthropometry and bone mineral density measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We included data from the first DXA in all individuals seen at the Osteoporosis Clinic in North Denmark in 2010 through 2012.
Risk factor data were available in >96% and DXA in >98% of the 8131 evaluations. Age 80+ years was the dominant risk factor for fragility fracture (P