Abstract
Background: Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue. Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) is a risk assessment tool that calculates a patients ten years probability of fracture.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and estimate the 10 year- probability of osteoporotic fractures among women above 45 years in Madina, Saudi Arabia.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 370 women. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA scan) at Taibah Early Diagnostic Center, Madina, KSA between 2016 and early 2017. A diagnosis of osteoporosis was made according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The ten years fracture risk for major osteoporotic and hip fracture was calculated online using Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX).
Results: The mean age of the women was 57.3 +/- 7.8. Of the participants, 33.8% were osteoporotic, and 45.7%. were osteopenic. The mean 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic or hip fracture was 3.1% and 0.43%, respectively. For women aged >= 70 years, the prevalence of osteoporosis was 74.3% and osteopenia 22.9%, and the mean 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic or hip fracture was 2.9% and 28.6%, respectively. In total, approximately 0.3% of women were at high risk of a major osteoporotic fracture (risk >= 20%) and 4.9% were at high risk of a hip fracture (risk >= 3%). Furthermore, one in seven osteoporotic women was at high risk of a hip fracture at 10 years.
Conclusion: Although osteoporosis is common among women above 45 years, the risk of osteoporotic fracture is only of concern among older women. Preventive measures to avoid fracture among elderly women is a priority.