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INTRODUCTION: This study aims to assess the cost effectiveness of romosozumab versus teriparatide, both sequenced to denosumab, for the treatment of severe postmenopausal osteoporosis at very high risk of fractures in Mexican women. METHODS: A Markov model was used to assess the relative cost effectiveness of 1 year of romosozumab versus 2 years of teriparatide, both sequenced to denosumab for a total treatment duration of 5 years. Outcomes for a cohort of women with a mean age of 74 years, a T-score ≤-2.5 and a previous fragility fracture were simulated over a lifetime horizon. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Mexican healthcare system and used a discount rate of 5% per annum. To inform relative fracture incidence, the bone mineral density (BMD) advantage of romosozumab over teriparatide was translated into relative risks of fracture, using relationships provided by a meta-regression of osteoporosis therapy trials. Outcomes were assessed in terms of lifetime costs (2023 Mexican pesos), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and life-years gained (LYs). RESULTS: Base case results showed that, compared with teriparatide/ denosumab, romosozumab/ denosumab reduced costs by $51,363 MXN per patient and yielded 0.03 additional QALYs and 0.01 LYs. Scenario analyses and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed that results are robust to uncertainty in model assumptions and inputs. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that romosozumab/ denosumab produces greater health benefits at a lower total cost than teriparatide/ denosumab.

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The FRAX® algorithm showed good accuracy in women living with DM followed in primary care. There were no differences between the ROC curve with and without adjustments for major and hip fractures. The FRAX® 10-year and FRAX® AR were better calibrated in this population. PURPOSE: An increased risk of fractures in people living with diabetes has been described. Screening instruments to calculate this risk have been proposed, including the FRAX® algorithm. Some studies suggest that minor modifications to this instrument can improve its performance. These modifications work well in other countries, but we do not know if they work in Brazil. The objective of our study was to evaluate the performance of the FRAX® algorithm with and without adjustments for women living with DM (WLDM) in primary care in Brazil. METHODS: A cohort study that included post-menopausal women attending primary care in Santa Maria, Brazil, was conducted from 2013 to 2018. The risk for major and hip fractures was calculated using the FRAX® tool. The FRAX® risk was calculated: (1) without adjustments (unadjusted FRAX®); (2) increasing the entered age by 10 years in individuals with DM (FRAX® 10 years); and (3) inserting the diagnosis of DM as rheumatoid arthritis (FRAX® AR). RESULTS: The accuracy for major fracture was 0.948 (unadjusted FRAX®), 0.947 (FRAX® 10 years), and 0.946 (FRAX® AR). For hip fractures, the accuracies were 0.989 (unadjusted FRAX®), 0.988 (FRAX® 10 years), and 0.988 (FRAX® AR). Furthermore, there were no differences between the area under the ROC curve with and without adjustments for major and hip fractures. Conversely, the FRAX® 10 years and the FRAX® AR were better calibrated, presenting a lower Chi-square. CONCLUSION: The FRAX® algorithm showed good accuracy in WLDM followed in primary care. The FRAX® 10 years and FRAX® AR were better calibrated in this population.

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Epidemiologic and economic data regarding osteoporotic fractures in Mexico is scarce and mostly outdated. Through a model, we estimated the incidence and costs of osteoporotic fractures in adults ≥ 50 years old in Mexico during the year 2023. Results showed that these events are both frequent and costly, leading to a considerable economic impact. PURPOSE: Osteoporosis and its fractures impose a high clinical and economic burden. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the frequency and costs owing to incident fragility fractures (FFs) during the year 2023 in Mexico. METHODS: This is an incidence-based cost-of-illness study. The target population is adults ≥ 50 years old sustaining a fracture related to osteoporosis (caused by a fall on the same level). The model estimates the costs and productivity losses associated with their treatment within 1 year post-fracture. National epidemiologic databases supplemented with information, derived from literature when appropriate, were used to estimate the frequency of new FFs during 2023 in the study population. Resource use included surgical and non-surgical inpatient or ambulatory care the patients received immediately after fracture plus the outpatient physiotherapy post-discharge and the eventual follow-up with a specialist who may prescribe pharmacotherapy. Sick days taken in employed patients were estimated from the literature. Local unitary costs of services and drugs for both public and private settings as well as average income in those occupied were applied. All costs are reported in Mexican pesos (MXN) from 2023. RESULTS: The model estimated a total of 229,239 FFs, among which 63% were classified as a major osteoporotic fracture, including 53,842 and 41,459 fractures located at the hip and vertebral, respectively. The total costs were estimated at 15,593 million MXN; most of them (75.2%) were attributable to acute-phase care. CONCLUSIONS: Fragility fractures represent a serious health problem for Mexico. Better preventive/therapeutic strategies may help to mitigate their significant financial toll.

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What are the fractures associated with osteoporosis in Colombian persons over 50 years of age? Through the analysis of the Ministry of Health databases, Colombians over 50 years of age with osteoporosis fracture the forearm the most, followed by the thoracolumbar vertebrae and then the hip. We describe the differences between men and women. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of all bone fractures among adults aged 50 and above, both with and without osteoporosis, using data from SISPRO (Integrated Information System for Social Protection), the administrative database of the Colombian Ministry of Health. METHODS: Information was collected for the years 2017 to 2021 for all bone fractures (except cranial or face fractures), and how many of them occurred in patients who had the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated separately for males and females by dividing the prevalence in those with by the prevalence of those without osteoporosis. RESULTS: For the period from 2017 to 2021, 303,037 adults over 50 years of age (females 279,057, 92.1%) were diagnosed with osteoporosis in Colombia, for a prevalence of 39.4 per thousand women and 4.14 in men; 40,823 of these women (14.6%) presented a fracture in the period, as well as 4020 of men (16.7%). Osteoporosis was present in 7.5% of the 596.618 (females 369.795; 62.0%) who suffered any fracture (1.8% of males and 11.0% of females). Overall PR was 3.4 (males 4.3; females 3.3). In men with osteoporosis, the most frequent fractures were hip (902), followed by lumbar vertebrae (842), ribs (648), and forearm (538), while in women, forearm (11,001), followed by hip (6885), lumbar vertebra (4813), and thoracic vertebra (2701) were the most common. PR in men was 21.9 for dorsal vertebrae fracture, 21.3 for lumbar vertebrae, 11.8 for ribs, and 7.7 for hip fracture. In women, PR was 15.7 for thoracic vertebrae, 13.3 for lumbar vertebrae, 3.3 for hip fracture, and 2.2 for forearm fracture. CONCLUSION: Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent disease in Colombia where women are more affected. Although fractures were more common in women, men with osteoporosis have a higher PR of associated fractures.

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Osteoporosis (OP) is a chronic disease that affects older adults' quality of life, with fragility fractures (FF) being its most significant consequence due to their impact on healthcare systems in terms of morbidity, and economic and caregiving burden. FF are defined as fractures resulting from low-energy trauma, defined as falls from a standing height or less, and are usually considered osteoporotic (1). World demographic projections warn of a significant increase in adults aged 65 and older by 2050. These demographic changes mean that OP and FF will soon become an even greater challenge for healthcare systems, where prevention programs should be a priority. In Mexico, FF is also a public health challenge, with an initial reported incidence of nearly 2,000 cases per 100,000 population, and a projected seven-fold increase by 2050. Given this scenario, there is an urgent need for policy- and decision-makers to change their approach and formulate health policies that guarantee that people aged 65 and older are screened for fractures and have access to appropriate care. These policies should be part of a strategy to minimize FF and ensure active and healthy aging according to the WHO's Decade of Healthy Ageing. In this context, a group of Mexican experts representing different health organizations interested in the burden of OP and FF met to discuss possible strategies to reduce their burden for the next decade and summarize them in this Call to Action to promote public policies that prioritize an evidence-based approach to the prevention and treatment of OP and FF.

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The population has aged; there is a greater risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture. We describe the standards of care for hip fractures in various hospitals of Mexico. A total of 1042 subjects participated. The acute mortality was 4.3%. SIGNIFICANCE: Hip fracture registries provide a means to compare care and establish improvement processes. BACKGROUND: The Mexican population has aged; thus, there is a greater risk of osteoporosis, and its main consequence is hip fracture due to fragility. Its incidence is high, and it is expected to increase due to aging in our country. International guidelines provide standardized recommendations for the care of people with hip fractures, while hip fracture registries provide a means to compare care with local, national, and international clinical standards and establish improvement processes. OBJECTIVE: Describe the standards of care for hip fractures in various hospital centers of the Mexican Social Security Institute. METHODS: This was an observational, multicenter, longitudinal, and descriptive study. It included 24 hospital centers in Mexico. Informed consent was obtained. Data were recorded during the hospital stay, epidemiological data, and management, and follow-up was carried out 30 and 120 days after discharge. The information was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: A total of 1042 subjects aged 79.5 ± 7.6 years participated, mostly women (n = 739; 70.9%) from the community (n = 1,021; 98.0%) and with functional independence (Barthel 80.9 ± 22.2). The transfer time to the emergency room was 4.6 ± 14.6 days. Pertrochanteric hip fracture was the most common (n = 570, 54.7%). The most common type of procedure was dynamic hip screw (DHS) (n = 399; 40.1%). Documented thromboprophylaxis was granted in 91.5% (n = 953) and antibiotic prophylaxis in 53.0% (n = 552) of the patients. The goal of 36 h for the surgical procedure was achieved in 7.6% of the subjects (n = 76), with the most frequent cause being a delay in scheduling (n = 673, 67.6%). The mean time from emergency room to surgery was 7.8 ± 7.0 days. The acute mortality rate was 4.3%. Secondary pharmacologic prevention upon discharge occurred in 64.2% of patients. At 30 days, 370 subjects (37.1%) were lost to follow-up, with a mortality of 3%, while at 120 days, 166 subjects (27.8%) were lost, with a mortality of 2.8%. CONCLUSION: In the hospital centers where the study was carried out, there are still no standards of care for hip fractures, which makes it necessary to rethink the care for this population group through a strategy focused on meeting those standards.

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The SPAH study is a population-based prospective cohort of Brazilian community-dwelling elderlies with higher fracture risk than observed in the studies used to construct the Brazilian FRAX model. In this study, the FRAX tool was a good fracture predictor within this high-risk elderly cohort, especially when calculated without bone density. PURPOSE: To determine the performances of FRAX and age-dependent intervention thresholds according to National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) guidelines with and without bone mineral density (BMD) regarding fracture prediction in community-dwelling elderly Brazilians. METHODS: Seven hundred and five older adults (447 women; 258 men) were followed for 4.3 ± 0.8 years. FRAX risk for hip and major osteoporotic fractures with and without BMD was calculated at baseline. The bivariate analysis investigated the associations between the absolute probability of fracture (FRAX), as well as the age-dependent intervention thresholds (NOGG), and the incidence of vertebral fracture (VF), non-vertebral fracture (NVF), and major osteoporotic fractures (MOF), segregated by sex. Age-adjusted Poisson's multiple regression and ROC curves were constructed to determine FRAX and NOGG's accuracies as fracture predictors. RESULTS: Fractures occurred in 22% of women and 15% of men. FRAX with and without BMD was higher in women with all types of fractures (p < 0.001). Only NOGG risk classification without BMD was associated with NVF (p = 0.047) and MOF (p = 0.024). FRAX was associated with NVF in the multiple regression, regardless of BMD. ROC curves of FRAX with and without BMD had AUCs of 0.74, 0.64, and 0.61 for NVF, VF, and MOF, respectively. The most accurate risk cutoffs for FRAX were 8% for MOF and 3% for hip fractures. No statistically significant associations were found in men. CONCLUSION: FRAX predicted NVF more accurately than VF or MOF in elderlies, regardless of BMD. These results reiterate that FRAX may be used without BMD, even considering that Brazilian elderlies have known higher fracture risk.

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This study examined the clinical characteristics and refracture rates of Colombian patients with high- and very high-risk osteoporosis. This reveals osteoporosis diagnoses and treatment gaps. Only 5.3% of the patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis at discharge and 70.5% had refractures. This finding underscores the need for national policies to enhance osteoporosis prevention and treatment. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the clinical features and refracture rates among patients with high- and very-high-risk osteoporosis in Colombia, highlighting diagnostic and treatment gaps. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted using the medical records of patients aged ≥ 50 years who experienced fragility fractures between 2003 and 2022. Clinical and demographic characteristics at the time of the initial fracture were analyzed, as well as the subsequent imminent risk (refracture rate) and the diagnosis and treatment gap. RESULTS: 303.982 fragility fractures occurred, and only 5.3% of patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis upon discharge. The most prevalent index fractures were forearm, vertebral, rib, and hip. Only 17.8% of the cohort had a matched osteoporosis diagnosis, indicating a low healthcare capture. Among the diagnosed patients, 10.08% were classified as high- and very high-risk of fracture, predominantly women with a mean age of 73 years. Comorbidities included diabetes, Sjögren's syndrome, and heart failure. The prevalence of osteoporosis has increased significantly from 2004 to 2022, possibly due to improved detection methods, an aging population, or a combination of both. Despite this increase, treatment delay was evident. Refractures affected 70.5% of the patients, with forearm, hip, humerus, and vertebral fractures being the most common, with a mean time of refracture of 7 months. CONCLUSION: Significant delays were observed in the diagnosis and treatment of fragility fractures. Colombia's government and health system must address osteoporosis by implementing national policies that prioritize osteoporosis and fragility fracture prevention and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.

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PURPOSE: Osteoporosis is a pressing public health concern among older adults, contributing to substantial mortality and morbidity rates. Low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) often grapple with limited access to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the gold standard for early osteoporosis detection. This study aims to assess the performance of the FRAX® score as a population-wide screening tool for predicting osteoporosis risk, rather than fracture, in individuals aged 50 and above within an LMIC context. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study (n=864) assessed the performance of the FRAX® score for predicting osteoporosis risk using comparative c-statistics from Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, with p-values <0.05 indicating statistically significant. RESULTS: The 10-year FRAX® probability for hip fracture, calculated without bone mass density (BMD), exhibited significantly superior performance compared to the 10-year FRAX® probability for major fracture in predicting osteoporosis risk (AUROC: 0.71 versus 0.67, p<0.001). Within 2 to 10 years of follow-up, the 10-year FRAX® probability for hip fracture showed both greater predictive performance and net benefit in the decision curve compared to the FRAX® 10-year probability for major fracture. A newly established cutoff of 1.9 % yielded a negative predictive value of 92.9 % (95 %CI: 90.4-94.8 %) for the 10-year FRAX® probability for hip fracture. CONCLUSION: The 10-year FRAX® probability for hip fracture estimated without BMD emerges as an effective 10-year screening tool for identifying osteoporosis risk in aged 50 and older, especially when confronted with limited access to DXA scans in LMICs. MINI ABSTRACT: The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool score performance as an osteoporosis screening tool was assessed in areas with limited dual-energy X-ray access. The hip fracture probability showed better performance than major fracture probability within 2 to 10 years. The tool emerges as effective for screening osteoporosis risk in individuals over 50.

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This study, characterizing the incidence of hip fractures in Mexico, showed not only that the crude number of fractures has increased, but also there has been a decrease in fracture rates. Nonetheless, as the population ages in the coming decades, the current declines rate of could be expected to reverse. PURPOSE: This study is to examine the incidence, rates, and time trends of hip fractures from 2006 to 2019 in Mexico. Additionally, an analysis of the follow-up of the birth cohorts was carried out. METHODS: Hip fractures registered during the period of the study were obtained through the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) national discharge records. The incidence per 100,000 individuals was calculated from the IMSS population at risk. A time trend analysis was conducted using linear regression, and the identification of breakpoints in linear trends. RESULTS: There was an increase of hip fractures for both sexes ≥ 60 years (43% for women and 41%, for men). However, the rates diminished from 167.8/100,000 in 2006 to 138.5 /100,000 in the population 60 and over (1.9% and 0.9% per year in women and men respectively). When the information was analyzed by age groups, hip fracture rates were similar in both sexes but higher in women. The most significant contribution to the total number of fractures is due to the groups ≥ 70 years; people born before 1937 are accounting for the burden of fractures over the total data. In contrast, the younger generations appear to have lower rates. CONCLUSION: Rates of hip fracture have steadily declined in Mexico since 2006; however, with the population aging in the coming decades, current rates declines could be expected to reverse.

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BACKGROUND: Hip fractures in the older adults lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Although a low bone mineral density is considered the leading risk factor, it is essential to recognize other factors that could affect the risk of hip fractures. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of clinical characteristics, patient-reported outcomes, and muscle and aerobic capacity for hip fractures in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study with real world-data from subjects ≥ 60 years old attending an outpatient clinic in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from May 1, 2019, to August 22, 2022. Data about clinical characteristics (multimorbidity, medications of long-term use, sedative and or tricyclic medications, number of falls), patient-reported outcomes (self-perception of health, self-report of difficulty walking, self-report of vision problems, and self-report of falls) and muscle and aerobic capacity (calf circumference, body mass index, and gait speed) were retrieved from an electronic health record. The association of each potential risk factor and hip fracture was investigated by a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: A total of 7,836 older adults were included with a median age of 80 years (IQR 72-86) and 5,702 (72.7%) were female. Hip fractures occurred in 121 (1.54%) patients. Multimorbidity was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture (OR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.06-1.18) and each episode of fall increased the chance of hip fracture by 1.7-fold (OR = 1.69, 95%CI 1.52-1.80). Patient-reported outcomes associated with increased fracture risk were regular or poor self-perception of health (OR = 1.59, 95%CI 1.06-2.37), self-report of walking difficulty (OR = 3.06, 95%CI 1.93-4.84), and self-report of falls (OR = 2.23, 95%CI 1.47-3.40). Body mass index and calf circumference were inversely associated with hip fractures (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.87-0.96 and OR = 0.93, 95%CI 0.88-0.97, respectively), while slow gait speed increased the chance of hip fractures by almost two-fold (OR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.22-2.66). CONCLUSION: Our study reinforces the importance of identified risk factors for hip fracture in community-dwelling older adults beyond bone mineral density and available fracture risk assessment tools. Data obtained in primary care can help physicians, other health professionals, and public health policies to identify patients at increased risk of hip fractures.

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PURPOSE: People living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) developed higher life expectancy along with chronic bone disease over the past years. Our purpose is to evaluate bone mineral density, bone microarchitecture and fractures in young PLWH and understand the disease's contribution to bone derangements and fracture risk. METHODS: Eighty-one HIV-infected and 54 control young (20-50 years) male and female subjects were enrolled in this study. Methods for patient evaluation included DXA-VFA (dual energy X-rays and vertebral fracture assessment), HR-pQCT (high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography), biochemistry and FRAX. RESULTS: Fifty participants from each group completed all exams. Median age was 40 (25-49) vs. 36.5 (22-50) for the HIV and control groups, respectively (p 0.120). Ethnicity, body mass index, serum phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, PTH and CTX were similar between groups, although ALP and OC suggested higher bone turnover in PLWH. VFA identified morphometric vertebral fractures in 12% of PLWH. PLWH had lower values for lumbar spine areal BMD and Z score, volumetric BMD, trabecular bone fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular number measured at the distal tibia by HR-pQCT; as a consequence, trabecular separation and heterogeneity were higher (all p < 0.05). The FRAX-estimated risk for hip and major osteoporotic fractures was statistically higher in PLWH (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm severe bone impairment and fractures associated with HIV in young patients. Thus, we developed a screening protocol for young PLWH to detect bone fragility, reduce skeletal disease progression and morbimortality, decrease fracture risk, and increase quality of life.

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FRAX®, a risk calculator that provides individualized 10-year probabilities of hip and major osteoporotic fracture, has been widely used for fracture risk assessment since its launch in 2008. It is now incorporated into very many guidelines worldwide to inform osteoporosis management. In this review, we explore the development of FRAX and how it enhances fracture risk prediction as compared to use of bone mineral density alone, as well as approaches to utilizing FRAX in determining intervention and assessment thresholds. We also discuss the limitations of FRAX and the arithmetic adjustments that have been proposed to address these. The introduction of FRAXplus® includes these adjustments on a web-based platform for ease of application to enhance treatment decisions in osteoporosis.

El FRAX® es una calculadora de riesgo que estima de forma individual las probabilidades de riesgo de fractura a 10 años de la fractura de cadera y las fracturas mayores por osteoporosis. Que ha sido ampliamente utilizado desde 2008 cuando fue lanzado. Se encuentra incorporado a muchas guías de manejo y tratamiento en el mundo. En esta revisión, nosotros exploramos el desarrollo del FRAX® y como mejora la predicción del riesgo comparado con el uso de la densidad mineral ósea, así como diferentes formas de utilizar el FRAX® para determinar las intervenciones y los umbrales de evaluación. También discutimos las limitaciones del FRAX® y los ajustes matemáticos que se han propuesto para mejorar estas limitaciones. La introducción del FRAXplus® incluye estos ajustes en una plataforma de aplicación fácil que permite el mejorar las decisiones del tratamiento en la osteoporosis.

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PURPOSE: Fracture Liaison Services programs reduce mortality and the risk of refracture and increase treatment and adherence rates. Greater coverage is an important priority for the future. The aim was to determine the characteristics of patients over 50 years old who suffered fractures and the effectiveness of a Fracture Liaison Services program in a health care institution in Colombia. METHODS: This was a retrospective follow-up study of a cohort of patients with vertebral and nonvertebral fractures managed in a Fracture Liaison Services program. Sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacological variables were identified. Key performance indicators were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 438 patients were analyzed. The average age was 77.5 years, and 78.5% were women. Hip and vertebral fractures were the most common (25.3% and 24.9%, respectively). Vertebral fractures prevailed in men (33.0% vs 22.7%; p = 0.041) and those of the radius/ulna in women (20.3% vs 10.6%; p = 0.031). A total of 29.7% had experienced a previous fracture, and 16.7% had received antiosteoporosis drugs. A total of 63.5% of the cases were managed surgically. At discharge, 58.8% received prescriptions for calcium/vitamin D, and 50.7% with prescriptions of antiosteoporotic therapy, especially teriparatide (21.2%) and denosumab (16.4%), without significant differences by sex. However, in women with hip fractures, anti-osteoporotic management prevailed (83.7% vs 64.0; p = 0.032). The effectiveness of the overall program per year was 74.6%. On follow-up, only 9.1% of patients had experienced a new fall, and of those 3.7% presented a new fracture. A total of 4.3% died during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Good adherence to the recommendations of the country's clinical practice guidelines was found, and overall, the effectiveness of the program was very satisfactory, with a low incidence of new fractures during follow-up. Fracture Liaison Services programs reduce mortality and the risk of refracture. A retrospective follow-up study of a cohort of patients with vertebral and nonvertebral fractures managed in a Fracture Liaison Services, showed that the effectiveness was 73.6%. On follow-up, 9.1% of patients had experienced a new fall, and of those 3.7% presented a new fracture.

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Introducción: la pandemia por COVID-19 afectó negativamente los sistemas de salud. Las fracturas vertebrales osteoporóticas y el aislamiento social se relacionan con mayor morbimortalidad. Objetivos: caracterizar la morbilidad de las fracturas vertebrales osteoporóticas y evaluar una posible relación entre morbilidad y nivel de aislamiento social se-cundario al estado de pandemia. Material y métodos: estudio observacional, analítico y transversal. Resultados: se incluyeron en el estudio 45 adultos. La fractura fue mayorita-riamente lumbar con una evolución superior de 3 meses. El 35% presentaba seguimiento, el 48% había recibido tratamiento para osteoporosis y el 48% presentaba fracturas previas documentadas. El 46% refirió falta de accesibilidad al sistema. Se evaluó el aisla-miento social con la escala sociofamiliar de Gijón, que evidenció una situación buena en el 75% y un deterioro social intermedio/severo en el 24%. El Índice de Oswestry mostró una discapacidad mínima/moderada en el 66% y severa o mayor en el 33%. Se evaluó el dolor por la Escala análoga visual (VAS) y se obtuvo un VAS mayor de 5 en el 57%. Al comparar el grupo de situación sociofamiliar buena con el de deterioro social intermedio/severo se observó una diferencia en multipli-cidad de fracturas (p 0,030), hipovitaminosis D (p 0,045) y falta de accesibilidad (p 0,029). En discapacidad y dolor no hubo diferencias. Conclusión: el grupo con mayor aislamiento presentó una enfermedad más severa en términos de multiplicidad de fracturas e hipovitaminosis D; esto podría indicar una asociación entre aislamiento social secundario al estado de pandemia y morbilidad por las fracturas vertebrales. (AU)

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on healthcare systems. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures and social isolation have a significant morbidity in our setting. Objectives: to characterize the morbidity of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and evaluate a potential relationship between morbidity and the level of social isolation secondary to the pandemic. Material and methods: observational, analytical and cross-sectional study. Results: forty-five adults were included. Fractures were mostly lumbar with a history of over 3 months. Thirty-five percent (35%) had been followed-up, 48% had been treated for osteoporosis and 48% had previous documented fractures. Forty-six percent (46%) reported lack of accessibility to healthcare. Social isolation was measured using Gijón ́s social-familial evaluation scale, which showed a good situation in 75% of cases and an intermediate/severe social deterioration in 24%. According to the Oswestry index, disability was minimal/moderate in 66% of cases and severe or worse in 33%. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), with a score greater than 5 recorded in 57% of patients. When comparing the group with a good social-familial situation vs. the group with intermediate/severe social deterioration, differences were found in multiplicity of fractures (p 0.030), hypovitaminosis D (p 0.045) and lack of accessibility (p 0.029). No differences were found in disability and pain. Conclusion: the group with higher levels of isolation exhibited more severe disease in terms of multiplicity of fractures and hypovitaminosis D, which might suggest an association between social isolation secondary to the pandemic and morbidity due to vertebral fractures. (AU)

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We aimed at comparing the incidence of hip fractures in older adults from Ecuador before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a significant reduction in the number of hip fractures, with no change in the length of hospital stay, mortality, and case-fatality rate, during the period of social isolation. INTRODUCTION: The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on fragility fractures is being recently evaluated in the literature. Despite this, data from Latin America in this regard is scarce. PURPOSE: This study aims to compare the incidence rate of hip fractures before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults who received care in the public and private health system of Ecuador. METHODS: This was a descriptive and retrospective study that analyzed data of individuals aged 60 years and older who had hip fractures before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The information was obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Yearbook. We calculated the incidence, average length of hospital stay, mortality, and case-fatality rate associated with hip fractures. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the incidence of hip fractures in adults 60 or older during the period of social isolation due to COVID-19. Between March and December 2019, there was an incidence of 152 hip fractures per 100,000 inhabitants, whereas during the same period but in 2020 in the incidence was 110 per 100,000 inhabitants (p < 0.0001). The main decrease was observed in women aged 80 or more. The average length of hospital stay did not show significant changes. Mortality displayed a non-significant decrease (p = 0.14), although this decrease was significant among women (p = 0.02). Case-fatality rate showed a non-significant increase for the whole group (p = 0.68) and for men (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: Hip fracture rates decreased significantly in adults aged 60 and older in 2020 compared to 2019. This decrease of hip fracture incidence rates was mainly due to the reductions observed in older people and women. The average length of hospital stay, mortality, and case-fatality rate associated with hip fractures did not show significant changes during the pandemic.

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Assessment and treatment pathways using FRAX-based intervention thresholds in Chile can be used to identify patients at high risk of fracture and avoid unnecessary treatment in those at low fracture risk. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to explore treatment paths and characteristics of women eligible for treatment in Chile based on major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) probabilities derived from FRAX®. METHODS: Intervention and assessment thresholds were derived using methods adopted by the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group for FRAX-based guidelines in the UK but based on the epidemiology of fracture and death in Chile. Age-dependent and hybrid assessment and intervention thresholds were applied to 1998 women and 1122 men age 50 years or more drawn from participants in the National Health Survey 2016-2017. RESULTS: Approximately 12% of men and women had a prior fragility fracture and would be eligible for treatment for this reason. Using age-dependent thresholds, an additional 2.6% of women (0.3% of men) were eligible for treatment in that MOF probabilities lay above the upper assessment threshold. A BMD test would be recommended in 5% of men and 38% of women. With hybrid thresholds, an additional 13% of women (3.6% of men) were eligible for treatment and BMD recommended in 11% of men and 42% of women. CONCLUSION: The application of hybrid intervention thresholds ameliorates the disparity in fracture probabilities seen with age-dependent thresholds. Probability-based assessment of fracture risk, including the use of the hybrid intervention thresholds for Chile, is expected to help guide decisions about treatment.

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Osteoporosis, a disease classically attributed to postmenopausal women, is underappreciated, underdiagnosed, and undertreated in men. However, it is not uncommon for osteoporotic fractures to occur in men. About 40% of fractures occur in men with an incidence that has increased over the years. After a first fracture, the risk of a subsequent episode, as well as the risk of death, is higher in the male than in the female population. Despite these facts, only 10% of men with osteoporosis receive adequate treatment. Up to half of the cases of male osteoporosis have a secondary cause, the most common being hypogonadism, excessive alcohol consumption, and chronic use of glucocorticoids. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) recommends using the female database for the diagnosis of osteoporosis by DXA (T-score ≤ -2.5 in men over 50 years old). In addition, osteoporosis can also be diagnosed independently of the BMD if a fragility fracture is present, or if there is a high risk of fractures by FRAX. Treatment is similar to postmenopausal osteoporosis, because the data regarding changes in bone density track closely to those in women. Data concerning fracture risk reduction are not as certain because the clinical trials have included fewer subjects for shorter period of time. In men with symptomatic hypogonadism, testosterone replacement, if indicated, can improve BMD.

RESUMO

The study analyzes whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects annual hip fractures (HF) rates and weekly emergency department (ED) consultations and hospitalizations due to trauma in older people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HF rates and ED consultation and hospitalization rates due to trauma decreased. PURPOSE: To describe the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on annual HF rates and weekly ED consultation and hospitalization rates due to trauma in Chile in 2020, compared to 2016-2019. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted based on data from Chile's Department of Statistics and Health Information. Annual HF admissions, weekly ED consultations and hospitalizations due to trauma were described for the years 2016-2020, grouping the years 2016-2019 to compare them with 2020. Rates were calculated per 100.000 inhabitants. RESULTS: From 2016 to 2020, a total of 35.050 patients aged ≥ 65 years were hospitalized in Chile with a diagnosis of HF, with the lowest number of admissions in 2020 (6.423). During 2020, annual HF rate was 273.6/100.000, representing a decrease of 18.5% compared to the average annual HF rate of 2016-2019 (335.7/100.000). In 2020, the weekly consultation rate due to trauma in older adults decreased by 20.8% and the weekly hospitalization rate due to trauma in older adults decreased by 18.5%. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, osteoporotic HF rates decreased, along with ED consultation and hospitalization rates due to trauma in older adults. This could be a result of mobility restrictions and a significant increase in the proportion of self-reliant older adults in the Chilean population.