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The most common osteoporotic fracture is the vertebral compression fracture, but only one third of these fractures are clinically evident. In the prospective Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, 2680 women had a spinal radiograph at baseline and again 15 years later. BMD was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
Approximately 18% of women (mean age at follow-up, 84) experienced an incident vertebral fracture during the study period; those who had a baseline vertebral fracture had a fourfold increased risk for an incident fracture. Among women with no baseline vertebral fractures, almost one third with a hip BMD T score indicative of osteoporosis (–2.5 or less) had radiographic evidence of an incident vertebral fracture at 15-year follo…