• ABSTRACT
    • One third of 218 men and half of 1,576 women with low-energy distal radius fractures met the bone mineral density (BMD) criteria for osteoporosis treatment. A large proportion of patients with increased fracture risk did not have osteoporosis. Thus, all distal radius fracture patients >or=50 years should be referred to bone densitometry.
  • INTRODUCTION
    • Main objectives were to determine the prevalence of patients with a low-energy distal radius fracture in need of osteoporosis treatment according to existing guidelines using T-score
  • METHODS
    • A total of 218 men and 1,576 women >or=50 years were included. BMD was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at femoral neck, total hip, and lumbar spine (L2-L4). The WHO fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX(R)) was applied to calculate the 10-year fracture risk.
  • RESULTS
    • T-scores
  • CONCLUSIONS
    • Every second to every third fracture patient met the present BMD criteria for osteoporosis treatment. Because a large proportion of distal radius fracture patients did not have osteoporosis, treatment decisions should not be based on fracture risk assessment without bone densitometry. Thus, all distal radius fracture patients >or=50 years should be referred to bone densitometry, and if indicated, offered medical treatment.