A fragility fracture, also referred to as a low-trauma fracture, occurs every 3 seconds
worldwide.1
The occurrence of a fragility fracture reveals underlying skeletal weakness or
osteoporosis.2
And is a strong predictor of future fracture risk.2,3
In general, there is a lack of public awareness about osteoporosis and a misconception that it
is
an unavoidable part of aging.4-6
Osteoporosis is more prevalent than you think. Approximately 200 million women worldwide are
affected by osteoporosis.1
And worldwide 1 in 3 women over 50 years of age will suffer a fragility fracture.1
However, fewer than 1 in 5 may be evaluated for osteoporosis.5,7-9
And fewer than 1 in 3 may be treated, even after experiencing a fragility
fracture.10-17
These are poor rates of management, especially when compared to rates of monitoring, screening
and treatment in other chronic diseases.7
Fragility fractures at various sites are associated with significant clinical and personal
burden.18-26
This may include: difficulty performing activities of daily living,18,20,21 admission
to long-term care facilities,18 pain or complications from
hospitalization,19,20 worry - which can impact relationships26 and financial burden
for patients and caregivers.26
Functional autonomy and independence are highly valued by patients at risk of hip
fracture.27
Fragility fractures result in more hospitalizations than breast cancer, stroke or myocardial
infarction.28
A prior fragility fracture can substantially increase the relative risk of a future
fracture.2,3,29-31
And, the subsequent fracture can occur at the same or a different site from the initial
fracture.3
There is a crisis in osteoporosis.
The downward trend in hip fracture incidence has hit a plateau, meaning fewer patients at high
risk for fracture are managed appropriately.32
Organizations across the globe are supporting a call to action to intensify efforts to prevent
fracture.
Worldwide there are specific activities supporting the call to action.33
References
1. International Osteoporosis Foundation. Facts and statistics.
www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics. Accessed February 13, 2018.
2. Kanis JA, et al. Bone. 2004;35:375-382.
3. Center JR, et al. JAMA. 2007;297:387-394.
4. Besser SJ, et al. Arch Osteoporos. 2012;7:115-124.
5. Boudreau DM, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017;65:1829-1835.
6. National Osteoporosis Foundation. NOF in the News.
https://www.nof.org/category/nof-in-the-news/ Published August 10, 2017.
7. Medica. Clinical Performance Measures Report 2012-2013.
www.medica.com/-/media/documents/quality/ cpm_report_member.pdf. Accessed February 28, 2018.
8. Fast Facts. Osteoporosis Canada. https://osteoporosis.ca/about-the-disease/fast-facts/
9. Nguyen TV, et al. Med J Aust. 2004;180:S18-22.
10. Yusuf AA, et al. Arch Osteoporos. 2016;11:31.
11. Spångéus A, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76(suppl2):72.
12. Sanfélix-Genovés J, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2013;24:1045-1055.
13. Hadji P, et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(4):52-7.
14. Viprey M, et al. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(12):e0143842.
15. Bell JS, et al. Aust Fam Physician. 2012;41:110-118.
16. Eisman J, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2004;19:1969-75.
17. Taiwanese Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. Taiwanese Osteoporosis
Association, 2013.
18. Bentler SE, et al. Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170:1290-1299.
19. Inacio MCS, et al. Perm J. 2015;19:29-33.
20. Cosman F, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2014;25:2359-2381.
21. Mulcahy A, et al. Presented at: ASBMR annual meeting; October 16-18, 2016; Atlanta, GA. Abst
MO0243.
22. Palacios S, el al. Climacteric. 2014;17:60-70.
23. Abimanyi-Ochom J, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2015;26:1781-1790.
24. Dyer SM, et al. BMC Geriatr. 2016;16158
25. Fechtenbaum J, et al. Osteoporos lnt. 2005;16:2175-2179.
26. National Osteoporosis Society. Life with osteoporosis. October 2014.
https://nos.org.uk/media/1859/life-with-osteoporosis.pdf. Accessed February 14, 2018.
27. Salkeld G, et al. BMJ. 2000;320:341-346.
28. Singer A, et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90:53-62.
29. van Geel TA, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009;68:99-102.
30. Klotzbuecher CM, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2000;15(4):721-739.
31. Gehlbach S, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2012;27(3):645-653.
32. Lewiecki EM, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2017.
33. ASBMR. Call to action to address the crisis in the treatment of osteoporosis.
www.asbmr.org/call-to-action.aspx. Accessed February 28, 2018.