Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .
Medication use patterns for osteoporosis: an assessment of guidelines, treatment rates, and quality improvement interventions.
OBJECTIVE To assess current osteoporosis treatment guidelines , studies of osteoporosis treatment , and interventions to improve osteoporosis treatment . METHODS We search ed the medical literature for articles published between January 1 , 1992 , and December 31 , 2003 , and assessed all relevant articles using a structured data abstract ion process . Because of substantial heterogeneity in study design , no attempt was made to summarize the data using meta-analytic techniques . RESULTS Seventy-six articles met criteria for inclusion . Eighteen practice guidelines were studied . Most guidelines were consistent in key treatment recommendations . Among 18 studies of treatment rates in patients who had fractures , the weighted average varied from 22 % for nonhormonal treatment to 19 % for calcium . We found slightly higher treatment rates for patients taking oral glucocorticoids or for those older than 65 years . There were no consistent correlates of which patients received treatment . Six studies that examined treatment frequencies after bone densitometry all found that patients with lower bone mineral density were more likely to receive treatment . Most of the 8 interventions design ed to improve osteoporosis treatment showed improvement in treatment rates ; however , only 3 were r and omized , and these showed the smallest effects . CONCLUSIONS Frequency of treatment of osteoporosis in at-risk population s is low . However , our assessment of the literature revealed no clear and consistent predictors of undertreatment . Few carefully controlled interventions have been reported
Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .