OSTEOPOROSIS AMONG ITALIAN WOMEN AT RISK: THE OSTEOLAB STUDY

The aim of the present study was to identify women at high risk of having osteoporosis according to the clinical judgment of their general practitioners, but without a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Participants: The general practitioners were asked to select a sample of women aged 65 years or more who could be affected by osteoporosis but had never been diagnosed nor treated: this sample included 8,268. Moreover, 8,956 women asked to be included in the study on a voluntary basis, and were analyzed separately. Measurements: participants were referred to a mobile unit equipped with ge lunar express Ultras (achilles), where they were administered a questionnaire and underwent a QUS examination. They were classified at high, moderate or low risk of having osteoporosis according to the 2007 international Society for Clinical densitometry official position. Results: The prevalence rate of women at high risk of having osteoporosis was 12.5%; 53% were considered at moderate risk. logistic regressions revealed that age, early age at menopause, history of fractures, dysthyroidism and smoking were associated with high and moderate risk. Conclusions: results suggest that general practitioners are able to identify women at risk of having osteoporosis, but often do not treat them, suggesting that osteoporosis in italy is still a neglected condition. The strength of the association of risk factors is similar in women at high and medium risk: this may raise a debate on the validity of this classification in the italian population.