BMD Changes During Osteoporosis Therapy Are Associated with Changes in Fracture Risk

Fracture risk is related to bone-mineral density (BMD) at baseline testing, but whether BMD monitoring after initial evaluation provides any additional benefit is unknown. In this Canadian study, investigators used a population-based BMD registry linked to pharmacy and healthcare databases to identify 6629 women (mean age, 64) who had BMD determinations before starting treatment for osteoporosis and at a mean 4.5 years later. At baseline, more than half of the women (57%) met BMD criteria for osteoporosis, and another 18% had osteopenia. Nearly 90% of patients received bisphosphonates at some point between the two BMD tests.

Between BMD determinations, total hip BMD detectably increased in 30% of women and detectably decreased in 19%; for lu…