Prevalence of osteoporosis in elderly women in Hong Kong

To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis and the proportion who needed treatment after screening women aged 65 years or older; their treatment acceptance and continuation.

This is an observational study conducted between May 2017 and April 2020.Participants underwent clinical assessment and bone mineral density measurement of lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Those with osteoporosis at any site or osteopenia with 10-year major fracture risk ≥ 20% or hip fracture risk ≥ 3% by Fracture Risk Assessment Tool® were offered drug treatment.

Among 1800 participants, 15.9% were normal, 33.2% were low-risk osteopenic, 27.2% were high-risk osteopenic, and 23.7% were osteoporotic. Their mean age was 69.4 years and 6.3% had low-energy fractures after menopause. After stepwise logistic regression analysis, only prior low-energy fractures after menopause and low body mass index (BMI) remained significantly correlated with osteoporosis. Those who needed treatment were significantly older, menopaused at age 45 years or earlier, had a parent with hip fracture, had low-energy fractures after menopause, and low BMI. Drug was offered to 916 women but 67.6% refused because they worried about side effects, interaction with existing drugs, and were reluctant to take more drugs. Treatment acceptance was significantly higher among osteoporotic patients. Treatment continuation at 6th and 12th months was also significantly higher in osteoporotic patients.

Osteoporosis screening in elderly women identified a significant proportion who needed treatment. Encouraging them to initiate drug, especially high-risk osteopenic patients, remained a challenge.