Quantitative ultrasound and risk of fractures in elderly women

To verify the prevalence of women with risk of fractures estimated by ultrasonometry of the calcaneus (UOC) in a population of elderly women and its association with clinical risk factors.

Cross-sectional study of which sample was randomly selected and submitted to a structured questionnaire about risk factors for fractures. All women underwent UOC.

We studied 168 Caucasian postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 69.56 ± 6.27 years; 81% of these women had abnormal test results and 41% of the abnormal results were considered higher risk. Women with abnormal test results had lower weight, height and BMI, and had lower values of SOS, BUA, BQI and T-score. After adjustment, BMI remained significant for abnormal UOC (OR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.19 9.56, p = 0.02), and history of previous fractures for UOC of the higher risk range (OR = 4.44, 95% CI: 1.16-16.96, p = 0.03).

We observed a high prevalence of risk of fractures determined by the UOC. Our prevalence was higher than those in other Brazilian studies. There was an association between UOC and BMI and previous history of fractures.