Risk factors for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that causes no symptoms. It is defined by low bone mass, and has many etiologies with different patterns of bone loss. The symptoms of osteoporosis arise when fractures occur as a result of having weakened bones and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.

In association with Professor Philip Sambrook from the Institute of Bone and Joint Research, (link here) Professor Cumming and other CERA staff have been involved with several studies (see below) examining the association and influence of bone strength to the risk of falls and fractures.

Other useful information on the risk factors for osteoporosis can be found on the HealthInsite (an Australian Government initiative) web site, link here

Publications

Many factors influence high risk of osteoporosis among older people, including nutritional factors, poor sunlight exposure, genetic influences, renal insufficiency, smoking and prior osteoporotic fracture affected treatment. Details of publications that deal osteoporosis, with links to the abstracts are are:

• Influence of fall related factors and bone strength on fracture risk in the frail elderly. Sambrook PN, Cameron ID, Chen JS, Cumming RG, Lord SR, March LM, Schwarz J, Seibel MJ, Simpson JM. Osteoporos Int. 2007 May;18(5):603-10. Epub 2007 Jan 10.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here


• Calcium metabolism in the frail elderly. Zochling J, Chen JS, Seibel M, Schwarz J, Cameron ID, Cumming RG, March L, Sambrook PN. Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Nov;24(6):576-82. Epub 2005 Aug 5.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here


• Osteoporotic fracture: missed opportunity for intervention. Port L, Center J, Briffa NK, Nguyen T, Cumming R, Eisman J. Osteoporos Int. 2003 Sep;14(9):780-4. Epub 2003 Aug 7.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here


• Gender differences in the genetic factors responsible for variation in bone density and ultrasound. Naganathan V, Macgregor A, Snieder H, Nguyen T, Spector T, Sambrook P. J Bone Miner Res. 2002 Apr;17(4):725-33.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here


• Quantitative ultrasound of the calcaneus and falls risk in the institutionalized elderly: sex differences and relationship to vitamin D status. Zochling J, Sitoh YY, Lau TC, Cameron ID, Cumming RG, Lord SR, Schwarz J, Trube A, March LM, Sambrook PN. Osteoporos Int. 2002 Nov;13(11):882-7.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here


• Calcium intake and fracture risk: results from the study of osteoporotic fractures. Cumming RG, Cummings SR, Nevitt MC, Scott J, Ensrud KE, Vogt TM, Fox K. Am J Epidemiol. 1997 May 15;145(10):926-34.
  To view the abstract for this paper, link here