Epidemiological burden of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Italy from 2010 to 2020: estimations from a disease model

Sex-related differences in vitamin D testing in the Veneto Region, Italy: a retrospective analysis from 2005 to 2016

A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate the frequency of vitamin D blood testing in individuals from the Padua province, Veneto, Italy from 2005 to 2016. A significant increase in the frequency of vitamin D blood tests, particularly in females was observed and in individuals with severe vitamin D deficiency (Class I).

PURPOSE

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to negative health outcomes that extend beyond bone-related conditions. The frequency of vitamin D blood testing in residents from the Padua province, (Veneto, Italy) from 2005 to 2016 was evaluated.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively retrieved from blood test databases (Laboratory Medicine Unit, Padua University Hospital) and information on number of vitamin D blood tests performed on residents from 2005 to 2016 was collected. Data were stratified by sex and ten birth cohorts from 1901 to 2016. Blood tests were classified into five vitamin D classes: I < 50 nmol/L, II 50-74.9 nmol/L, III 75-149 nmol/L, IV 150-250 nmol/L, and V > 250-1000 nmol/L. Blood test trends were analyzed as blood test rate and vitamin D class rate/resident population. Population analysis was analyzed by incidence rates and stratified by vitamin D class.

RESULTS

293,013 vitamin D blood tests were conducted between 2005 and 2016 across 10 birth cohorts. Females accounted for 75% of tests and fewer were conducted in the youngest and oldest birth cohorts. Sex differences in vitamin D blood test frequency were observed; adjusted rates ranging from 1.7 to 35.6% for males and 8 to 81% for females from 2005 to 2016. Crude incidence rates (per 1000 from 2005 to 2016) varied from 1.5 to 10.8‰ for males and 7 to 19.4‰ for females. Crude blood test rates for vitamin D deficiency (Class I) increased from 1.1 to 9.9‰ in 2016 for males and 5 to 17.3‰ for females. Crude incidence rates (from 2005 to 2016) for Class I were 9.7-57.1‰ in males and 43.6-92.4‰ in females.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight sex-related differences in vitamin D testing, providing valuable insight for healthcare planning.

Optimization of transdisciplinary management of elderly with femur proximal extremity fracture: A patient-tailored plan from orthopaedics to rehabilitation

Fractures of femur proximal extremity (FFPE) are the most common fragility fractures requiring hospitalization, with a high risk of mortality, low independence in the activities of daily living and severe consequences on health-related quality of life. Timing for surgery has a key role in the management of elderly patients with FFPE as recommended by the Australian and New Zealand guidelines and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Early surgery (within 48 h from hospital admission) allows significant benefits in terms of lower rates of postoperative complications and risk of death and can provide better functional outcomes. Therefore, time for surgery could be considered as a comorbidity marker. The choice between conservative or surgical approach surprisingly seems to be still not strongly supported by available literature, but it seems that both 30 d and 1 year risk of mortality is higher with the conservative treatment rather than with surgery. In light of these considerations, the optimization of FFPE management care is mandatory to improve functional outcomes and to reduce sanitary costs. Albeit it is widely accepted that transdisciplinary approach to patients suffering from FFPE is mandatory to optimize both short-term and long-term outcomes, the feasibility of a comprehensive approach in clinical practice is still a challenge. In particular, the large variability of figures involved could be considered both a resource and an additional disadvantage taking into account the difficulty to coordinate multidisciplinary approach covering care in all settings. Therefore, the aim of the present article was to summarize current evidence supporting transdisciplinary management of patients with FFPE, highlighting the benefits, feasibility and limitations of this approach.

Updated incidence and costs of hip fractures in elderly Italian population

PURPOSE

We aimed at updating our previous researches about the burden of hip fractures in elderly Italian population.

METHODS

We analyzed national hospitalizations records from 2000 to 2014 to compute age- and sex-specific standardized rates.

RESULTS

1,335,375 hospitalizations were recorded in people ≥ 65 (1,031,816 women: 77.27% and 303,559 men: 22.73%) over 15 years, passing from 73,493 in year 2000 to 94,525 in 2014, with an overall increase of 28.62% over the 15-year period (females: + 25.1%; males: + 41.2%). About 84.9% of total hip fractures were suffered by patients aged ≥ 75 years old. Direct hospitalization costs and rehabilitation costs increased from 343 to 457 million Euros and from 392 to 504 million Euros from year 2000 to 2014, respectively. Overall costs of hip fractures raised from 735 to 961 million Euros (+ 30.74% from 2000 to 2014).

CONCLUSION

The number of hip fractures and related hospitalizations costs in Italian elderly population is still increasing due to the absolute number of fractures occurring in people ≥ 65 years old and particularly over 75 years old.

Radiofrequency echographic multi spectrometry for the prediction of incident fragility fractures: A 5-year follow-up study

PURPOSE

To investigate the effectiveness of the T-score values provided by Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry (REMS) in the identification of patients at risk for incident osteoporotic fractures.

METHODS

A population of Caucasian women (30-90 years), enrolled from 2013 to 2016, underwent dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and REMS scans at axial sites. The incidence of fragility fractures was assessed during a follow-up period up to 5 years. Afterwards, patients with and without incident fractures were stratified in two age-matched groups with a 1: 2 proportion (Group F' and Group NF', respectively). The performance of REMS T-score in discriminating between the two groups was quantitatively assessed and compared with DXA.

RESULTS

1516 patients were enrolled and 1370 completed the follow-up (mean ± SD: 3.7 ± 0.8 years; range: 1.9-5.0 years). Fracture incidence was 14.0%. Age-matched groups included 175 fractured patients and 350 non-fractured ones, respectively (median age 70.2 [interquartile range: 61.0-73.3] and 67.3 [65.4-69.8] years, p-value ns). The groups resulted also balanced for height, weight and BMI (p-values ns). As expected, the differences in REMS T-score (for vertebral site, -2.9 [-3.6 to -1.9] in Group F', -2.2 [-2.9 to -1.2] in Group NF') and DXA T-score (-2.8 [-3.3 to -1.9] in Group F', -2.2 [-2.9 to -1.4] in Group NF') were statistically significant (p-value <0.001). Analogous results were obtained for femoral neck. Considering the T-score cut-off of -2.5, REMS identified Group F' patients with a sensitivity of 65.1% and specificity of 57.7% of (OR = 2.6, 95%CI: 1.77-3.76, p < 0.001), whereas DXA showed a sensitivity of 57.1% and a specificity of 56.3% (OR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.20-2.51, p-value = 0.0032). For femoral neck, REMS sensitivity and specificity were 40.2% and 79.9%, respectively, with an OR of 2.81 (95%CI: 1.80-4.39, p < 0.001). DXA, instead, showed a sensitivity and specificity of 42.3% and 79.3%, respectively, with an OR of 2.68 (95%CI: 1.71-4.21, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

REMS T-score resulted an effective predictor for the risk of incident fragility fractures in a population-based sample of female subjects, representing a promising parameter to enhance osteoporosis diagnosis in the clinical routine.

Bone and skeletal muscle changes in oldest-old women: the role of physical inactivity

BACKGROUND

Alterations in bone and muscle parameters related to advanced aging and physical inactivity have never been investigated in oldest-old women.

AIMS

To investigate the impact of physical inactivity on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition at the systemic and regional levels in oldest-old (> 75 years old) women. We hypothesized that, further to aging, alterations in bone and body composition parameters are exacerbated in the locomotor limbs that have experienced physical inactivity.

METHODS

Whole-body and regional (lower limbs and trunk) BMD and fat-free soft tissue mass (FFSTM) were measured by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 11 oldest-old wheelchair-bound women (OIW), 11 oldest-old mobile women (OMW), and 11 young healthy women (YW), all matched for weight (± 10 kg), height (± 10 cm).

RESULTS

Whole-body BMD was reduced by 15% from YW to OMW and 10% from OMW to OIW. Whole-body FFSTM was also reduced from YW to OIW (- 13%). Lower limb BMD was progressively reduced among YW, OMW and OIW (- 23%). Similarly, lower limb FFSTM was reduced among YW (12,816 ± 1797 g), OMW (11,999 ± 1512 g) and OIW (10,037 ± 1489 g). Trunk BMD was progressively reduced among YW, OMW and OIW (- 19%), while FFSTM was similar among the three groups ~ 19801 g.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study suggest that the alterations in bone and body composition parameters are exacerbated in the physical inactive oldest-old. These negative effects of physical inactivity are not confined to the locomotor limbs, and a systemic decline of bone and muscle parameters are likely associated with the physical inactivity.

Effects of essential amino acid supplementation and rehabilitation on functioning in hip fracture patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Physical exercise and nutrition seem to have a key role in the management of hip fracture patients.

AIM

To evaluate the impact of a 2-month rehabilitative protocol combined with dietetic counseling, with or without essential amino acid supplementation, on functioning in hip fracture patients.

METHODS

In this pilot randomized controlled study, we recruited patients aged more than 65 years, at 3 months after hip fracture. We randomly assigned the participants into two groups (A and B). Both groups performed a physical exercise rehabilitative programme (five sessions of 40 min/week for 2 weeks, followed by a home-based exercise protocol) and received a dietetic counseling; only group A was supplemented with two sachets of 4 g/day of essential amino acids (Aminotrofic^®). We evaluated at baseline and after 2 months of intervention (T₁): hand grip strength, Timed Up and Go, and Iowa Level of Assistance scale (ILOA).

RESULTS

The 32 hip fracture patients (mean aged 79.03 ± 7.80 years) were allocated into two groups: group A (n = 16) and group B (n = 16). All the participants showed significant differences in all outcomes at T₁ (p < 0.017). Sarcopenic patients in group A (n = 10) showed statistically significant differences in all the primary outcomes at T₁ (p < 0.017), whereas sarcopenic patients in group B (n = 13) showed a significant reduction of ILOA only. In non-sarcopenic patients, we found no differences at T₁ in all outcome measures.

DISCUSSION

Hip fractures are a complex multifactorial condition of the elderly that determines devastating effects on functioning and independence.

CONCLUSION

A multidisciplinary rehabilitative and nutritional intervention seems to be effective on functioning in hip fracture patients, in particular sarcopenic ones.

Use of antiosteoporotic drugs and calcium/vitamin D in patients with fragility fractures: impact on re-fracture and mortality risk

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of pharmacological treatment in osteoporosis patients with recent fracture and to assess the incidence of subsequent fracture and all-cause mortality.

METHODS

This observational retrospective study was based on data from administrative databases of five Italian Local Health Units. Osteoporosis patients aged ≥ 50 years with hospitalization for vertebral or hip fracture occurring between 01/01/2011 and 31/12/2015 were included. Treatment adherence was calculated using the medication possession ratio. Multivariable proportional hazard Cox model was used to identify factors associated with time to re-fracture and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A cohort of 3475 patients were included and 41.5% of them did not receive any specific anti-fracture treatment. Among treated patients (N = 2032), the majority (83.6%) received calcium/vitamin D supplementation. Over a mean follow-up of 3 years, the risk of subsequent fractures was 44.4% lower in treated patients compared to untreated ones (HR = 0.556, 95% CI = 0.420-0.735, p < 0.001) and 64.4% lower in those receiving calcium/vitamin D supplementation compared to osteoporosis treatment only (HR = 0.356, 95% CI = 0.237-0.533, p < 0.001). The risk of re-fracture was 77.2% lower in treated patients who were adherent to medication (HR = 0.228, 95% CI = 0.139-0.376, p < 0.001). Treated patients had 64% lower mortality risk over the follow-up compared to untreated ones (HR = 0.360, 95% CI = 0.310-0.418, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A consistent proportion of osteoporosis patients did not receive specific treatment after a fracture, showing poor adherence to national guidelines on osteoporosis treatment. Osteoporosis drug treatment, and to a greater extent in combination with calcium/vitamin D, and adherence were correlated with lower risk of both re-fracture and all-cause mortality.

Mind the (treatment) gap: a global perspective on current and future strategies for prevention of fragility fractures

This narrative review considers the key challenges facing healthcare professionals and policymakers responsible for providing care to populations in relation to bone health. These challenges broadly fall into four distinct themes: (1) case finding and management of individuals at high risk of fracture, (2) public awareness of osteoporosis and fragility fractures, (3) reimbursement and health system policy and (4) epidemiology of fracture in the developing world. Findings from cohort studies, randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, in addition to current clinical guidelines, position papers and national and international audits, are summarised, with the intention of providing a prioritised approach to delivery of optimal bone health for all. Systematic approaches to case-finding individuals who are at high risk of sustaining fragility fractures are described. These include strategies and models of care intended to improve case finding for individuals who have sustained fragility fractures, those undergoing treatment with medicines which have an adverse effect on bone health and people who have diseases, whereby bone loss and, consequently, fragility fractures are a common comorbidity. Approaches to deliver primary fracture prevention in a clinically effective and cost-effective manner are also explored. Public awareness of osteoporosis is low worldwide. If older people are to be more pro-active in the management of their bone health, that needs to change. Effective disease awareness campaigns have been implemented in some countries but need to be undertaken in many more. A major need exists to improve awareness of the risk that osteoporosis poses to individuals who have initiated treatment, with the intention of improving adherence in the long term. A multisector effort is also required to support patients and their clinicians to have meaningful discussions concerning the risk-benefit ratio of osteoporosis treatment. With regard to prioritisation of fragility fracture prevention in national policy, there is much to be done. In the developing world, robust epidemiological estimates of fracture incidence are required to inform policy development. As the aging of the baby boomer generation is upon us, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of how bone health can be improved worldwide for all.

Trends of Incidence, Mortality, and Future Projection of Spinal Fractures in Korea Using Nationwide Claims Data

Spinal fractures have been recognized as a major health concern. Our purposes were to evaluate the trends in the incidence and mortality of spinal fractures between 2008 and 2012 and predict the number of spinal fractures that will occur in Korea up to 2025, using nationwide data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). A nationwide data set was evaluated to identify all new visits to medical institutes for spinal fractures in men and women aged 50 years or older between 2008 and 2012. The incidence, mortality rates and estimates of the number of spinal fractures were calculated using Poisson regression. The number of spinal fractures increased over the time span studied. Men and women experienced 14,808 and 55,164 vertebral fractures in 2008 and 22,739 and 79,903 in 2012, respectively. This reflects an increase in the incidence of spinal fractures for both genders (men, 245.3/100,000 in 2008 and 312.5/100,000 in 2012; women, 780.6/100,000 in 2008 and 953.4/100,000 in 2012). The cumulative mortality rate in the first year after spinal fractures decreased from 8.51% (5,955/69,972) in 2008 to 7.0% (7,187/102,642) in 2012. The overall standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of spinal fractures at 1 year post-fracture was higher in men (7.76, 95% CI: 7.63-7.89) than in women (4.70, 95% CI: 4.63-4.76). The total number of spinal fractures is expected to reach 157,706 in 2025. The incidence of spinal fractures increased in Korea in the last 5 years, and the socioeconomic burden of spinal fractures will continue to increase in the near future.

The PI3K/AKT cell signaling pathway is involved in regulation of osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease with the high incidence, serious complications, financial burden, and heavily decrease in living quality.

METHODS

Proliferation of osteoblast was tested by 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) method, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of osteoblasts was tested by ALP REAGENT, Calcium level was determined by a colorimetric assay, mRNA expression of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), Akt, Caspase-3, Caspase-7, Caspase-9, osteocalcin (OCN), Osterix and Runx2 of osteoblasts was tested by RNA preparation and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein expression of phospho-PI3K, phospho-PDK1 and phospho-Akt was measured by Western Blot analysis.

RESULTS

In osteoporosis model rats, it found that mRNA expression of PI3K, PDK1 and Akt showed no changes while protein expression of phospho-PI3K, phospho-PDK1 and phospho-Akt in bone tissue was decreased dramatically. To further characterize the molecular mechanisms that regulate osteoporosis, we examined the contribution of the PI3K/Akt cell signaling pathway in cultured osteoblasts. It suggested that, the blockade of PI3K activation by LY294002, a specific inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in osteoblasts, heavily inhibited cell proliferation, ALP activity, calcium accumulation, and mRNA expression of OCN, Osterix and Runx2. However, mRNA expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 was promoted accordingly.

CONCLUSION

The in vivo and in vitro studies indicated that the PI3K/Akt cell signaling pathway is involved in the inhibition of osteoporosis through promoting osteoblast proliferation, differentiation and bone formation.

Is it the time to rethink clinical decision-making strategies? From a single clinical outcome evaluation to a Clinical Multi-criteria Decision Assessment (CMDA)

There are plenty of different clinical, organizational and economic parameters to consider in order having a complete assessment of the total impact of a pharmaceutical treatment. In the attempt to follow, a holistic approach aimed to provide an evaluation embracing all clinical parameters in order to choose the best treatments, it is necessary to compare and weight multiple criteria. Therefore, a change is required: we need to move from a decision-making context based on the assessment of one single criteria towards a transparent and systematic framework enabling decision makers to assess all relevant parameters simultaneously in order to choose the best treatment to use. In order to apply the MCDA methodology to clinical decision making the best pharmaceutical treatment (or medical devices) to use to treat a specific pathology, we suggest a specific application of the Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis for the purpose, like a Clinical Multi-criteria Decision Assessment CMDA. In CMDA, results from both meta-analysis and observational studies are used by a clinical consensus after attributing weights to specific domains and related parameters. The decision will result from a related comparison of all consequences (i.e., efficacy, safety, adherence, administration route) existing behind the choice to use a specific pharmacological treatment. The match will yield a score (in absolute value) that link each parameter with a specific intervention, and then a final score for each treatment. The higher is the final score; the most appropriate is the intervention to treat disease considering all criteria (domain an parameters). The results will allow the physician to evaluate the best clinical treatment for his patients considering at the same time all relevant criteria such as clinical effectiveness for all parameters and administration route. The use of CMDA model will yield a clear and complete indication of the best pharmaceutical treatment to use for patients, helping physicians to choose drugs with a complete set of information, imputed in the model.

Assessment of Fracture Risk in A Population of Postmenopausal Italian Women: A Comparison of Two Different Tools

The main objective of this study was to compare in the assessment of risk of fractures in postmenopausal women two algorithms for 10-year fracture risk evaluation, the WHO-endorsed FRAX(®) and the Italian FRAX-derived version (DeFRA), which considers BMD of different bone sites and allows the inclusion of other data. In a secondary analysis, we compared the performance of the tools in discriminating subjects who sustained previous major fractures from those who did not. The 10-year fracture risk score was evaluated in a sample of 989 climacteric women using FRAX and DeFRA tools. Bone mineral density was also included in the calculation of these algorithms. Comparing how the subjects were assigned to different risk classes by the two tools, we found that DeFRA attributed higher risk categories than FRAX, among women in the subgroups between 50 and 59 and, mostly, 60-69 years of age. ROC curve analysis showed that DeFRA had the same discriminative ability to identify previous major osteoporotic fractures compared to FRAX (AUC = 0.74 for both). If confirmed by prospective studies, our findings would suggest that DeFRA might be ascribed as at least equivalent to FRAX or perhaps slightly most appropriate in the categorization of the fracture risk, particularly in women aged 60-69 years, a period in which bone densitometry analysis is highly recommended.

Current and future burden of incident hip fractures in New South Wales, Australia

Population ageing presents significant challenges for many developed nations. Accurately forecasting the likely future burden of age-related medical conditions, such as hip fracture, is critical. In this study, we present estimates of the current and future burden of hip fracture in NSW, Australia, providing crucial information for future health care planning.

PURPOSE

The aims of this study were to investigate the burden of hip fracture in Australia's largest state, New South Wales (NSW), and to build a prediction model to forecast the likely future burden of hip fracture from 2016 to 2036 in persons aged 50 years or more.

METHODS

A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using NSW hospitalisation data. Standardised incident hip fracture rates and hip fracture-related acute care length of stay and costs were estimated. Predictive negative binomial regression modelling using age, gender and local health district and year covariates together with projected NSW populations was applied to forecast future hip fractures.

RESULTS

Total incident hip fractures increased 8.8 % over a 12-year period from 2000/2001 to 2011/2012 despite declining age-standardised rates. Estimates of acute care length of stay for the treatment of hip fracture ranged from 10 to 15 days and acute care costs ranged between 21 and 29,000 Australian dollars per fracture. By 2036, incident hip fractures are projected to rise by 35.2 %, assuming a continued decline in the rate of hip fracture or by 107.5 % if the current decline in the rate does not continue. Acute care length of stay and costs are each predicted to rise between 37.1 and 110.4 % by 2036.

CONCLUSION

An ageing population and changing demographics will continue to drive the increasing burden of incident hip fractures in NSW and Australia in the foreseeable future. These anticipated changes provide important information for the planning and management of future hip fracture care.