Screening for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Authors: Heidi D. Nelson
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2003)

Letters15 April 2003Screening for Postmenopausal OsteoporosisHeidi D. Nelson, MD, MPHHeidi D. Nelson, MD, MPHOregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR 97201 (Nelson)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-138-8-200304150-00031 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:There is indeed much less evidence on the effectiveness of bisphosphonates for women older than 80 years of age than for younger women. A trial of alendronate in elderly women in long-term care facilities (mean age, 78.9 years; range, 65 to 91 years) reported increased bone density at the spine and hip (1). Two analyses from the Fracture Intervention Trial (FIT) of alendronate indicated fracture benefit for older women. After an average of 2.9 years of follow-up, the relative risk for new vertebral fractures was 0.49 (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.68) for women younger than 75 years of ...References1. Greenspan SL, Schneider DL, McClung MR, Miller PD, Schnitzer TJ, Bonin R, . Alendronate improves bone mineral density in elderly women with osteoporosis residing in long-term care facilities. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:742-6. [PMID: 12020142] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Ensrud KE, Black DM, Palermo L, Bauer DC, Barrett-Connor E, Quandt SA, . Treatment with alendronate prevents fractures in women at highest risk: results from the Fracture Intervention Trial. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:2617-24. [PMID: 9531231] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Levis S, Quandt SA, Thompson D, Scott J, Schneider DL, Ross PD, . Alendronate reduces the risk of multiple symptomatic fractures: results from the Fracture Intervention Trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50:409-15. [PMID: 11943033] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. McClung MR, Geusens P, Miller PD, Zippel H, Bensen WG, Roux C, . Effect of risedronate on the risk of hip fracture in elderly women. Hip Intervention Program Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:333-40. [PMID: 11172164] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Heidi D. Nelson, MD, MPHAffiliations: Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR 97201 (Nelson) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAlendronate Improves Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Women with Osteoporosis Residing in Long-Term Care Facilities Susan L. Greenspan , Diane L. Schneider , Michael R. McClung , Paul D. Miller , Thomas J. Schnitzer , Randi Bonin , Mary Elizabeth Smith , Paul DeLucca , Glenn J. Gormley , and Mary E. Melton Screening for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women: Recommendations and RationaleU.S. Preventive Services Task Force*Screening for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Review of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Heidi D. Nelson , Mark Helfand , Steven H. Woolf , and Janet D. Allan Screening for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Harry W. Daniell Metrics 15 April 2003Volume 138, Issue 8Page: 689-690KeywordsBone densityElderlyHipMedical risk factorsOsteoporosisRelative riskSpineStrength trainingVisionVitamin D ePublished: 15 April 2003 Issue Published: 15 April 2003 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2003 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...