Published in:
01-12-2008 | Editorial
Redefining Osteoporosis
Author:
B. E. Christopher Nordin
Published in:
Calcified Tissue International
|
Issue 6/2008
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Excerpt
The current widely used definition of
osteoporosis is that it is “a systemic skeletal disease characterised by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture.” This definition, attributed to a consensus statement in 1993 [
1], was confirmed by a World Health Organization (WHO) study group in 1994 [
2] and used by the vice chair of that study group in his book published in the same year [
3]. Despite this powerful advocacy, it does not in fact meet the requirement of a definition, which needs to be absolutely specific. The definition of
anemia is a reduced level of hemoglobin in the blood; it does not include a description of the causes or consequences. The definition of
hypertension is a raised blood pressure; it does not mention stroke or heart attacks. The definition of
osteoporosis should be equally tight; the causes and consequences are irrelevant. The term “osteoporosis” should identify the essential feature common to all types of osteoporosis which is not present in any other condition that is not osteoporosis. …
