How common is osteomalacia in the elderly?

Discussion of the prevalence of osteomalacia in the elderly is complicated by the different definitions used and the fact that diagnostic criteria are rarely stated. In this study osteomalacia was defined as more than 25% of trabecular bone surface in an iliac crest biopsy sample covered with osteoid and a mean osteoid seam thickness of greater than 11 micron. All patients admitted to a geriatric unit over one year were screened and biopsy samples obtained from a high proportion. The estimated prevalence in this population was 3.7%; the prevalence was higher in women than in men and in those over 80 years than in those under 80.