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Updated: May 6, 2026

A Novel in vivo Gene Transfer Technique and in vitro Cell Based Assays for the Study of Bone Loss in Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published on: June 8, 2014
Osteopenia: debates and dilemmas
Jie Zhang1, Sarah L Morgan, Kenneth G Saag
1Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, Ryals 230K, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA, jszhang@uab.edu.
Abstract:
Whether or not to use pharmacologic agents for primary prevention of fracture among elderly men and women with osteopenia is debated by clinicians. In this review we provide an update to enable better understanding and characterization of this population, including the prevalence of osteopenia, transitioning from osteopenia to osteoporosis, and clinically applicable tools for fracture risk assessment. We also emphasize the very limited evidence of the benefits and risks of anti-osteoporotic agents for this population for primary fracture prevention, and the need for future studies to guide clinical practice.
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