AB0613 FREQUENCY AND RISK OF FRAGILITY FRACTURES IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS
Authors: Efremova A. , Nikitinskaya O. , Toroptsova N. , Dobrovolskaya O. , Demin N. 
Published: May 2021

Background:

Objectives:

To assess the frequency of fragility fractures and the 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fractures using the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) tool in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods:

The study included 136 patients with SSc who met the ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria: 110 (80.9%) postmenopausal women and 26 (19.1%) men over 50 years of age, mean age 59,3 + 7.5 years. The duration of the disease was 10,0 [6.0; 15.0] years in women and 6,0 [3.5; 9.0] years in men. A questionnaire was conducted and the risk of major osteoporotic fractures was calculated according to FRAX tool, as a result of which patients were divided into groups of low, moderate or high risk. Individuals at moderate risk underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the proximal femur, followed by a 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures recalculation with the inclusion of the femoral neck T-score. According to the obtained fracture risk assessment tool value, patients were assigned as having a low, high or very high risk.

Results:

Fragility fractures of various localization were found in 50 (36,7%) people: 41 (37,3%) women and 9 (34.6%) men. Vertebral and peripheral bone fractures occurred with the same frequency (19,8%) without significant differences depending on the patient’s gender. Only 1 (3,8%) male had a history of proximal femoral fracture. Fractures of both the vertebra and the peripheral bone occurred in 4 (2,9%) people: 3 (2,7%) women and 1 (3,8%) man.

9 (8,2%) women and 16 (61,5%) men had a low risk of major osteoporotic fractures according to FRAX, 60 (54,5%) and 10 (38,5%) - a moderate risk, respectively, while 41 (37,3%) women were at high risk. Among 86 patients without a history of low-energy fractures (69 women and 17 men), 8 (11,6%) women and 16 (94,1%) men were at low risk of major osteoporotic fractures, and 57 (82,6%) and 1 (5,9%), respectively, were at moderate risk. Only 4 (5,8%) women were assigned to the high-risk group. After recalculation of the fracture risk assessment tool with inclusion of the femoral neck T-score in persons with moderate risk without a history of fragility fractures, 9 (13,0%) women and 1 (5,9%) man were found to be at high risk, 14 (20,3%) women - at very high risk and 34 (49,3%) women - at low risk.

Among moderate-risk patients with prior fractures after FRAX recalculation 3 (7,3%) women and 7 (77,8%) men became at low risk, 1 (11,1%) male - at high and 1(11,1%) male – at very high risk. Thus, 55 (50,0%) women and 1 (3,8%) man were at very high, 12 (10,9%) and 2 (7,7%), respectively, - at high, and 43 (39,1%) and 23 (88,5%), respectively, - at low risk of major osteoporotic fractures.

Conclusion:

In the examined cohort of patients with SSc, the frequency of fragility fractures was 37,3% in women and 34,6% in men. A high and very high risk of major osteoporotic fractures was found in 60,9% of women and 11,5% of men. 3 (2,7%) women and 6 (23,1%) men with a history of previous fractures were in the low-risk group by FRAX, but they need to consider the appointment of anti-osteoporotic therapy as for patients at high and very high risk.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.