| Theme |
Fracture risk assessment and its significance in osteoporosis clinics |
| Title |
Utility and limitations of height loss in relation to fracture risk and QOL assessment |
| Author |
Naomi Masunari |
Department of Clinical Studies, Radiation Effects Research Foundation |
| Author |
Saeko Fujiwara |
Department of Clinical Studies, Radiation Effects Research Foundation |
| [ Summary ] |
Since such effective containment measures as alendronate and risedronate are currently available to prevent fragile fractures, it is essential to determine vertebral fracture risks accurately. In recent years, it has been reported that height loss may be a predictive factor for such fractures. For this reason, we reviewed the association between height loss, fracture risk, and QOL to examine the utility and limitations of height loss in relation to fracture risk and QOL assessment. This was done in order to determine how effectively height loss may act as a predictive factor for fracture risks. Although height loss was found to act as a predictive factor for vertebral fractures, its sensitivity and specificity are not sufficiently high. Therefore, we need to await further clarification of causes for height loss in order to establish clear screening criteria. |