Osteoporosis in a nursing home, determined by the DEXA technique

People living in a nursing home are prone to osteoporosis due to high age, many different diseases, and decreased mobility. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis in a Swedish nursing home.

In this cross-sectional study of residents living in a nursing home, 35 persons (10 men and 25 women) with a mean age of 84 years (range: 76-97) for the men and 84 years (range: 58-95) for the women were examined. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in a sitting position performed on the heel to determine the T-score, Z-score, BMD, and thickness, as well as biochemical tests for s-calcium and s-parathyroid hormone were employed.

Ninety-two per cent of the women and 70 per cent of the men had osteoporosis according to the WHO definition, i.e. a T-score of less than -2.5 standard deviations (SD) compared with a young female population. The remaining residents had osteopenia (T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 SD) and none had normal bone density. Two cases of suspected primary hyperparathyroidism were detected among the women.

The prevalence of osteoporosis in this nursing home was very high. It is conceivable that such a degree of osteoporosis is usual in corresponding nursing homes, which should be taken into consideration by prevention against future fragility fractures with available non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment.