Almost all institutionalized women are osteoporotic, when measured by heel and finger ultrasound

Since there is a need for simple methods to identify individuals with osteoporosis, we investigated bone status (heel and finger) with ultrasound in an institutionalized elderly population and studied the association between these measures, risk factors for osteoporosis and prevalent osteoporotic fractures.

Cross-sectional study. Subjects. Nursing home residents, 237 women and 84 men, mean age 84 years.

Altogether 82% of those eligible could undergo heel ultrasound, 65% finger ultrasound and 41% measurements at both sites. Using a transcription of the WHO criterion of osteoporosis, 95% of the women who underwent heel ultrasound were classified as osteoporotic (mean T-score = -4.8) and 92% had Z-scores below zero (mean Z-score=-1.6), whereas 51% of the men were osteoporotic (mean T-score=-2.6) and 77% had Z-scores below zero (mean Z-score=-1.3). Based on finger ultrasound measurements, 99% of the women were classified as osteoporotic (mean T-score=-5.0) and 93% had Z-scores below zero (mean -1.6). The variations in ultrasound values were only moderately explained by age, current weight and walking ability. Amongst women, the association with a prevalent osteoporotic fracture decreased by 43% (95% CI=10-63%) for every SD increase in speed of sound (SOS) of the heel, but no such relationship was found for finger SOS.

Our results from ultrasound measurements at two different anatomical sites indicate that virtually all institutionalized elderly women could be classified as osteoporotic, when measured by these techniques.