Awareness of Osteoporosis in Orthopaedic Surgeons

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the awareness of orthopaedic surgeons working in Turkey regarding the diagnosis and followup of primary osteoporosis. Materials and Methods: In this study designed as an open-access, web-based, online survey, 166 orthopaedic surgeons working in university hospitals, educational research hospitals and public and private hospitals were included. Results: Overall, 30.1% doctors stated that they request for a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan in postmenopausal patients, 41.02%, 38.6%, 34.9% and 4.8% in patients aged >65 years, those with hip fractures, with vertebral fractures and with forearm fracture, respectively, whereas 30.1% doctors stated that they did not request for a DXA scan from any patient. Further, 63.9% doctors reported that they did not evaluate patients aged >65 years with fractures for osteoporosis. Of the patients with fragility fractures, 36.1% orthopaedic doctors stated that they did not request for vitamin D results. In primary osteoporosis, 79.5% orthopaedic surgeons stated that they treated with DXA’s T-score, 15.7% with DXA’s Z-score, 55.4% with age, 37.7% with gender, 51.8% in fragility fractures, 37.3% of the osteoporosis drugs previously used and 13.3% according to the FRAX risk classification. In primary osteoporosis, 22.9% doctors stated that they administered patients low vitamin D ampoules containing 300,000 IU 25 (OH) vitamin D orally and 1.2% administered it intramuscularly; moreover, 15.7% doctors administered these patients 50,000 IU 25 (OH) vitamin D bottle orally once a week, and 10.8% prescribed the vitamin to be taken as drops daily. Conclusion: The knowledge and awareness of orthopaedic doctors in the diagnosis and follow-up of primary osteoporosis is lower than expected. Orthopaedic doctors involved in the treatment of fractures require additional studies and intervention programmes to improve their knowledge regarding this condition.