Bone Loss in the Elderly

Overview

Journal Osteoporos Int

Specialties Endocrinology
Orthopedics

Date 1994 Jan 1

PMID 8081062

Citations 10

Authors

J A Kanis

S Adami

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A large number of cross-sectional studies suggest that rates of bone loss decrease in the elderly, particularly at the spine and radius. For this reason it has been argued that bone mass measurements are unhelpful in assessing fracture risk in the elderly and that drugs affecting bone metabolism are less likely to be of benefit in reducing this risk. This paper reviews the assumptions on which these conclusions are based and argues that in many instances they are flawed. Indeed, studies examining rates of bone loss in the elderly either directly or by biochemical indices of bone turnover suggest that bone loss continues throughout life and may even accelerate after the age of 70 years. This conclusion supports the view that identification of patients at risk and subsequent treatment is of value in all age groups.

Citing Articles

Osteoporosis and fracture risk are multifactorial in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Buttgereit F, Palmowski A, Bond M, Adami G, Dejaco C Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2024; 20(7):417-431.

PMID: 38831028 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-024-01120-w.

Best Performance Parameters of HR-pQCT to Predict Fragility Fracture: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cheung W, Hung V, Cheuk K, Chau W, Tsoi K, Wong R J Bone Miner Res. 2021; 36(12):2381-2398.

PMID: 34585784 PMC: 9298023. DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4449.

An efficient case finding strategy to diagnose osteoporosis in a developing society with low treatment frequency.

Sorensen V, Wojtek P, Pedersen D, Andersen S J Endocrinol Invest. 2015; 38(8):841-7.

PMID: 26122488 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-015-0343-2.

Bone morphology in 46 BXD recombinant inbred strains and femur-tibia correlation.

Zhang Y, Huang J, Jiao Y, David V, Kocak M, Roan E ScientificWorldJournal. 2015; 2015:728278.

PMID: 25811045 PMC: 4355808. DOI: 10.1155/2015/728278.

Addressing the age-related needs of osteoporotic patients with strontium ranelate.

Boonen S Osteoporos Int. 2010; 21 Suppl 2:S415-23.

PMID: 20464375 DOI: 10.1007/s00198-010-1231-4.

References

Wu K, Jett S, Frost H . Bone resorption rates in rib in physiological, senile, and postmenopausal osteoporoses. J Lab Clin Med. 1967; 69(5):810-8. View

Hansen M, Overgaard K, Riis B, Christiansen C . Role of peak bone mass and bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis: 12 year study. BMJ. 1991; 303(6808):961-4. PMC: 1671323. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.303.6808.961. View

Merz W, Schenk R . A quantitative histological study on bone formation in human cancellous bone. Acta Anat (Basel). 1970; 76(1):1-15. DOI: 10.1159/000143476. View

Meunier P, Courpron P, Edouard C, Bernard J, Bringuier J, Vignon G . Physiological senile involution and pathological rarefaction of bone. Quantitative and comparative histological data. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1973; 2(2):239-56. DOI: 10.1016/s0300-595x(73)80042-8. View

Stevenson J, Kanis J, Christiansen C . Bone-density measurement. Lancet. 1992; 339(8789):370-1. View

Mazess R, Barden H, Ettinger M, Johnston C, Dawson-Hughes B, Baran D . Spine and femur density using dual-photon absorptiometry in US white women. Bone Miner. 1987; 2(3):211-9. View

Fogelman I, Bessent R . Age-related alterations in skeletal metabolism--24-hr whole-body retention of diphosphonate in 250 normal subjects: concise communication. J Nucl Med. 1982; 23(4):296-300. View

Law M, Wald N, Meade T . Strategies for prevention of osteoporosis and hip fracture. BMJ. 1991; 303(6800):453-9. PMC: 1670562. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.303.6800.453. View

Schiele F, Henny J, Hitz J, Petitclerc C, Gueguen R, Siest G . Total bone and liver alkaline phosphatases in plasma: biological variations and reference limits. Clin Chem. 1983; 29(4):634-41. View

10.

Dawson-Hughes B, Dallal G, Krall E, Sadowski L, Sahyoun N, Tannenbaum S . A controlled trial of the effect of calcium supplementation on bone density in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med. 1990; 323(13):878-83. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199009273231305. View

11.

Frost H . Human osteoid seams. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1962; 22:631-40. DOI: 10.1210/jcem-22-6-631. View

12.

Davis J, Ross P, Wasnich R, MacLean C, Vogel J . Comparison of cross-sectional and longitudinal measurements of age-related changes in bone mineral content. J Bone Miner Res. 1989; 4(3):351-7. DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.5650040309. View

13.

Orwoll E, Oviatt S, McClung M, Deftos L, Sexton G . The rate of bone mineral loss in normal men and the effects of calcium and cholecalciferol supplementation. Ann Intern Med. 1990; 112(1):29-34. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-112-1-29. View

14.

Delmas P, Gineyts E, Bertholin A, Garnero P, Marchand F . Immunoassay of pyridinoline crosslink excretion in normal adults and in Paget's disease. J Bone Miner Res. 1993; 8(5):643-8. DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.5650080516. View

15.

Eastell R, Delmas P, Hodgson S, Eriksen E, Mann K, Riggs B . Bone formation rate in older normal women: concurrent assessment with bone histomorphometry, calcium kinetics, and biochemical markers. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988; 67(4):741-8. DOI: 10.1210/jcem-67-4-741. View

16.

Johansson C, Mellstrom D, Milsom I . Reproductive factors as predictors of bone density and fractures in women at the age of 70. Maturitas. 1993; 17(1):39-50. DOI: 10.1016/0378-5122(93)90122-x. View

17.

Gotfredsen A, Podenphant J, Norgaard H, Nilas L, Nielsen V, Christiansen C . Accuracy of lumbar spine bone mineral content by dual photon absorptiometry. J Nucl Med. 1988; 29(2):248-54. View

18.

Heaney R, Recker R, SAVILLE P . Menopausal changes in bone remodeling. J Lab Clin Med. 1978; 92(6):964-70. View

19.

Harris S, Dawson-Hughes B . Rates of change in bone mineral density of the spine, heel, femoral neck and radius in healthy postmenopausal women. Bone Miner. 1992; 17(1):87-95. DOI: 10.1016/0169-6009(92)90713-n. View

20.

Uebelhart D, Schlemmer A, Johansen J, Gineyts E, Christiansen C, Delmas P . Effect of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on the urinary excretion of pyridinium cross-links. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991; 72(2):367-73. DOI: 10.1210/jcem-72-2-367. View