When to Repeat Bone-Density Testing Depends on Initial T Score

Several authoritative organizations, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommend that women older than 65 undergo bone-density testing (JW Physician's First Watch Jan 18 2011). However, organizations generally have avoided issuing opinions as to how often such testing should be repeated, in part because of the lack of data that bear on the question. In 2012, such data became available. In the long-running Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, researchers followed 5000 women (age, ≥67 at study entry) for more than 15 years. The qualitative results of the study were not surprising: Women with better bone density at baseline were less likely to develop osteoporosis and related fractures. However, what was valuable was the quantitat…