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Regional heel ultrasound screening assessment and fracture risk factors

Colleen M. Renier, BS1, AM Fernandez, MD2, Wanda Gordon, RN2, Jeanette A. Palcher, BA1, and Irina V. Haller, PhD, MS3. (1) Division of Education & Research, St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Health System, 5AV2ME, 400 E 3rd St, Duluth, MN 55805, 218-786-3834, crenier@smdc.org, (2) Section of Rheumatology, St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Health System, 400 East 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55805, (3) Division of Education & Research, St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Health System , 5AV2ME, 400 East 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55805

Purpose: The population of northeast-Minnesota/northwest-Wisconsin is at elevated risk for osteoporosis, due to age and racial composition. Many live far from specialty care, so dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is inaccessible. Heel ultrasound (HUS) is an alternative, but questions about accuracy remain. The DXA-HUS Registry was designed to evaluate the correlation of HUS with DXA, and regional post-test fracture risk factors. Methods: Data included June 1998-December 2002 HUS and DXA reports, plus fracture incidence, through December 2003, from electronic records. Analysis was restricted to patients 18+ years of age. HUS and DXA t-scores were compared for tests within 12-months, using Pearson’s r, with sensitivity (SENS) and positive predictive value (+PRED) computed, following recode to Normal (>-1.0); Abnormal (<-1.0). Bivariate odds ratios (O.R.) and 95% confidence intervals, were computed and multivariate models were evaluated using stepwise logistic regression. Results: Comparing 726 pairs of HUS and DXA, Pearson’s r =0.443 (p<0.001); HUS SENS=95.1%, and +PRED=75.8%. Bivariate analysis of 5869 HUS patients, identified overall fracture and hip fracture risks (O.R.), respectively, for: abnormal HUS (2.5;5.8); history of steroid use (1.4;2.4); post-menopausal women (1.6;4.6); age 70-79 (2.3;4.9) and 80+ (3.5;10.2), compared to <70. Multivariate analysis identified overall fracture risks for: abnormal HUS (1.9); history of steroid use (1.4); age 70-79 (1.6) and 80+ (2.7), compared to <70. Hip fracture risks were found for: abnormal HUS (1.9); age 70-79 (1.7) and 80+ (2.7), compared to <70. Conclusions: Regionally, HUS lacks precision for diagnostic testing, yet is effective in screening, identifying patients at elevated risk for fractures.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

Keywords: Screening, Risk Factors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Age Specific Injury Patterns Poster Session

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA