During follow-up, full transition to osteoporosis occurred in fewer than 1% of the participants with a T score of at least −1.00 at baseline, fewer than 5% of those with a T score of −1.01 to −1.49 at baseline, and 22% of women with a score of −1.50 to −1.99 at baseline. Transition to osteoporosis took place in 65% of women who had a T score of −2.00 to −2.49 at baseline.
After Dr. Gourlay and her associates adjusted for the covariates of age and continuous bone mineral density, they found that it took an estimated 16 years for 10% of women with a T score of −1.00 or higher at baseline to transition to osteoporosis.
The other three T score subgroups that were analyzed underwent covariate adjustment for age, body mass index, current estrogen use, any fracture after age 50, current smoking, and oral glucocorticoid use.
After adjustment, the average time for 10% of women to transition to osteoporosis was found to be 15.5 years in women following a T score measure of −1.01 to −1.49, 4.5 years in women with a T score of −1.50 to −1.99, and 1.2 years in women with a T score of −2.00 to −2.49.
The investigators performed an additional analysis that stratified women by their age at the baseline DXA examination.
Even among women who were 85 years old, it took an average of nearly 11 years for 10% to develop osteoporosis following a baseline T score of −1.01 to −1.49.
Dr. Gourlay said that she had no disclosures relevant to this study.
Source Elsevier Global Medical News
X-ray of the hip shows a fracture due to osteoporosis in an elderly woman. Less frequent screening may be indicated.
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