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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Distal Radius Fracture | Research

The clinical necessity of a distal forearm DEXA scan for predicting distal radius fracture in elderly females: a retrospective case-control study

Authors: Sang Beom Ma, Sang Ki Lee, Young Sun An, Woo-suk Kim, Won Sik Choy

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Recent studies have demonstrated that the distal forearm dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan might be a better method for screening bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk of a distal forearm fracture, compared with a central DEXA scan. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a distal forearm DEXA scan for predicting the occurrence of a distal radius fracture (DRF) in elderly females who were not initially diagnosed with osteoporosis after a central DEXA scan.

Methods

Among the female patients who visited our institutes and who were over 50 years old and underwent DEXA scans at 3 sites (lumbar spine, proximal femur, and distal forearm), 228 patients with DRF (group 1) and 228 propensity score-matched patients without fractures (group 2) were included in this study. The patients’ general characteristics, BMD, and T-scores were compared. The odds ratios (OR) of each measurement and correlation ratio among BMD values of the different sites were evaluated.

Results

The distal forearm T-score of the elderly females with DRF (group 1) was significantly lower than that of the control group (group 2) (p < 0.001 for the one-third radius and ultradistal radius measurements). BMD measured during the distal forearm DEXA scan was a better predictor of DRF risk than BMD measured during the central DEXA (OR = 2.33; p = 0.031 for the one-third radius, and OR = 3.98; p < 0.001 for the ultradistal radius). The distal one-third radius BMD was correlated with hip BMD, rather than lumbar BMD (p < 0.05 in each group).

Conclusion

Performing a distal forearm DEXA scan in addition to a central DEXA scan appears to be clinically significant for detecting the low BMD in the distal radius, which is associated with osteoporotic DRF in elderly females.

Level of evidence

III; case-control study.
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Metadata
Title
The clinical necessity of a distal forearm DEXA scan for predicting distal radius fracture in elderly females: a retrospective case-control study
Authors
Sang Beom Ma
Sang Ki Lee
Young Sun An
Woo-suk Kim
Won Sik Choy
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06265-5

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