High rates of undiagnosed and untreated osteoporosis in postmenopausal women receiving medical services in the area of Upper Silesia

INTRODUCTION: High social cost and high risk of disability make postmenopausal osteoporosis one of major public health problem in the 21(st) century. The aim of this study was to assess frequency of undiagnosed and untreated osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in the Upper Silesia Region of Poland. Additionally, we compare estimation of the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) and hip fractures (HF) based on fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) with and without bone mineral density (BMD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey included 450 postmenopausal women (age 65 ±11 years). A detailed questionnaire included demographic and anthropometric data, comorbidity, history of previous low-energy fractures, family medical history, and treatment for osteoporosis. The FRAX calculator was used to estimate the risk of MOF and HF. RESULTS: Osteoporosis was previously diagnosed in 23.7% women. Of those 70.2% were receiving vitamin D, 27% calcium preparations, 33% bisphosphonates, and 22% were untreated. Only 42.2% women with previous fractures had been diagnosed with osteoporosis and 42.8% received any treatment. 12.5% women with FRAX-BMD ≥ 10% had no risk factors of osteoporosis and < 10% risk of MOF and HF in FRAX without BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis often remains undiagnosed and untreated in postmenopausal women. There is a great need to popularize FRAX without BMD calculator among physicians, especially GPs, as the risk calculation justify the implementation of antiosteoporotic therapy. Women with burden of risk factors of fractures and borderline FRAX without BMD values, should be referred to a densitometry examination, as having greater risk of fracture than shown by FRAX without BMD.