Title : Bone health check in patients attended fracture clinic with fragility fractures audit
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: The clinical significance of osteoporotic fractures is underscored by the fact that, in adults, approximately one in two women and one in five men will experience one or more fragility fractures. In the United Kingdom, an estimated 549,000 new fragility fractures occur annually. These fractures are associated with severe pain, disability, and a significant decline in quality of life. Furthermore, the financial burden of fragility fractures on the National Health Service (NHS) exceeds £4.7 billion each year.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess adherence to the National Osteoporosis Guidelines Group (NOGG) and the British Orthopaedic Association Standards for Trauma (BOAST) in evaluating patients' bone health following the occurrence of a fragility fracture.
Methodology: We reviewed fracture clinic letters and electronic systems to determine whether patients who attended the fracture clinic with a fragility fracture underwent an osteoporosis assessment or a bone health evaluation following the incident.
Findings: Out of 56 patients, only 14 (25%) underwent DEXA scans following the injury. Of these, 6 patients (42%) were diagnosed with osteoporosis, 5 patients had osteopenia, and 3 patients exhibited normal scan results. Additionally, only 7 patients (17%) had a bone profile check after the injury. We observed that some patients sustained consecutive fragility fractures before being investigated for osteoporosis.
Conclusion: All patients admitted having sustained a fragility fracture should have a bone health review, be investigated and prescribed appropriate medication when indicated.
