WASHINGTON — Endocrinologists and rheumatologists are the most aggressive specialists when it comes to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis, Tiffany Karas, M.D., and her associates reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
Of 122 physicians who responded to an electronic survey, there were 27 geriatricians, 25 endocrinologists, 23 obstetrician/gynecologists, 20 rheumatologists, 19 primary care physicians, and 8 orthopedic surgeons. In screening for osteoporosis, 94% of the entire group said they would order a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan for a patient with two or more risk factors, said Dr. Karas and her associates, of Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Ill.
The risk factors most likely to prompt DXA scanning were height loss (93%), chronic prednisone use (89%), and menopause (86.6%). Among the risk factors least likely to prompt DXA were low testosterone (60%) and vertebral deformities (74%) in an elderly male patient. In general, all physicians surveyed were much less likely to order DXA for men with indications than for women. “This is one area where continuing education about osteoporosis may improve patient care,” the investigators noted.
Endocrinologists and rheumatologists were more likely to order DXA given any risk factor or patient scenario than were the other specialties, while orthopedic surgeons were the least likely. Rheumatologists were the most likely to initiate treatment in patients, followed by endocrinologists, geriatricians, primary care physicians, and ob.gyns.
Alendronate and risedronate were deemed the most efficacious treatments by more than 98% of all physicians, while calcium/vitamin D and calcitonin were thought to be the least efficacious. Overall, patients were more likely to be screened, diagnosed, and treated for osteoporosis by female physicians who had been in practice more than 6 years and who practice in urban, academic settings, Dr. Karas and her associates reported.