Femoral neck bone mineral density and 10-year absolute fracture risk in a national representative sample of Bulgarian women aged 50 years and older

Abstract

This study explored the epidemiology of osteoporosis in Bulgarian women (>50 years). Of the women included in the study, 16.8% had osteoporosis and 46.5% had osteopenia at the femoral neck. The mean 10-year absolute fracture risk was 13.4 ± 9.2% (major fractures) and 2.8 ± 5.2% (hip fractures). This study is the largest Bulgarian epidemiological osteoporosis trial.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the major risk factors for osteoporosis and the 10-year absolute fracture risk in a national representative sample of Bulgarian women aged 50 and older.

Methods: This work is a part of the Bulgarian Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study. The National Statistical Institute selected a national representative epidemiological sample. A questionnaire was used allowing fracture risk calculation according to FRAX. Ten osteoporosis centers throughout the country participated. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the femoral neck by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The statistical analysis was performed on a SPSS 13.0 for windows platform.

Results: A total of 1,331 women were included (mean age 63.8 ± 8.3 years), divided into decades. Of them, 16.8% had osteoporosis and 46.5% had low femoral neck BMD. Their mean 10-year absolute fracture risk for major fractures was 13.4 ± 9.2%, and for hip fractures 2.8 ± 5.2%, respectively. The prevalence of some major risk factors for osteoporosis was as follows: height loss > 3 cm-33.1% of all women; family history of hip fractures-4.1%; previous hip fractures-1.9%; previous vertebral fractures-2.3%; all fractures-23.3%; smoking-11.9%.

Conclusions: This study is the largest epidemiological osteoporosis trial in Bulgaria to date and allows assumptions about the prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures among women aged 50 and older in our country.