Screening for Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

Published in JAMA. Here is a link to the article.

Regenstrief Institute authors: Sarah Wiehe, MD, MPH

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) evaluated the benefits and harms of osteoporosis screening to prevent fractures in adults aged 40 or older without a known diagnosis of osteoporosis or prior fragility fractures. Osteoporotic fractures can lead to psychological distress, additional fractures, loss of independence, reduced daily functioning, and death. Based on a systematic review, the USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that screening provides a moderate net benefit for women aged 65 and older, and for postmenopausal women under 65 who are at increased risk for fractures based on clinical risk assessment. The USPSTF recommends screening these groups (B recommendation). However, the USPSTF finds the current evidence insufficient to determine the balance of benefits and harms of screening in men.

Authors:

US Preventive Services Task Force; Wanda K Nicholson ¹, Michael Silverstein ², John B Wong ³, David Chelmow ⁴, Tumaini Rucker Coker ⁵, Esa M Davis ⁶, Carlos Roberto Jaén ⁷, Marie Krousel-Wood ⁸, Sei Lee ⁹, Li Li ¹⁰, Carol M Mangione ¹¹, Gbenga Ogedegbe ¹², Goutham Rao ¹³, John M Ruiz ¹⁴, James Stevermer ¹⁵, Joel Tsevat ⁷, Sandra Millon Underwood ¹⁶, Sarah Wiehe ¹⁷

Affiliations

¹George Washington University, Washington, DC.

²Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

³Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

⁴Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

⁵University of Washington, Seattle.

⁶University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.

⁷University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio.

⁸Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.

⁹University of California, San Francisco.

¹⁰University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

¹¹University of California, Los Angeles.

¹²New York University, New York, New York.

¹³Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

¹⁴University of Arizona, Tucson.

¹⁵University of Missouri, Columbia.

¹⁶University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

¹⁷Indiana University, Bloomington.