---

USOFRA study using QUS Ultrasound of the heel bone to detect osteoporosis demonstrating height loss as a vital risk factor in women

Full Text PDF

---

Original Article

Author Details : AP Singh, Dipali Das, Vandana Singh, Neha Bisht, Ritu Mehta, Chitra Kapoor

Volume : 2, Issue : 1, Year : 2016

Article Page : 1-8

Suggest article by email

Get Permission

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis, is a silent progressive disease associated with low bone density and resultant deterioration of bone micro architecture and fragility fractures.
Unfortunately, the Dexa-Scan is not widely available, it is expensive and involves exposure to some amount of radiation.
India is a developing country with limited health resources and economic restrictions. Evolving cost- effective methods to detect osteoporosis with possibilities of widespread usage are desirable.
Material & Methods: Detailed clinical data, height, weight and T- score measurements from QUS heel studies of 1843 patients (including 1225 females & 518 male) were obtained from the USOFRA (Uma Sanjeevani Osteoporosis screening and Fracture Risk Assessment) study from 2008 till date.
Observations: The study demonstrates an increasing incidence of severe height loss with advancing age & correspondingly higher incidence of fragility fractures.
403 Women with Mild Height Loss (<1”) having no Fragility fractures had high T- scores.
105 Women with Severe Height Loss (>1”) with Fragility fractures had the low T-scores especially in the younger women aged 40 – 60.
The heavier women aged 40 – 60 years, who suffered mild height loss, had much stronger bones evident by their highest T-scores, than the women who were light and had severe height loss, who had the lowest T-scores.
Discussion: It was found that additional clinical risk factor ‘Severe Height Loss (>1), which when coupled with low body weight <65 kg, and QUS heel T-score< -1.0’ showed greater risk of fragility fractures.
Conclusions: The study demonstrated that Height Loss more than 1” and low body weight are significant risk factors which together with a low T-score, help in the detection of osteoporosis.
Severe Height Loss (>1”) obtained by deducting present height measurement from self-reported height known from youth (age 20-25), is a valuable clinical risk factor for osteoporosis. It can be used in women aged 40 years and above as a screening tool for early detection of osteoporosis.

Keywords: Post-menopausal Osteoporosis; Osteopenia; QUS Heel; T-score; BMD; Height Loss; Clinical Risk Factors; Fragility Fracture

How to cite : Singh A, Das D, Singh V, Bisht N, Mehta R, Kapoor C, USOFRA study using QUS Ultrasound of the heel bone to detect osteoporosis demonstrating height loss as a vital risk factor in women. IP Int J Orthop Rheumatol 2016;2(1):1-8

This is an Open Access (OA) journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which allows others to remix, and build upon the work, the licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.