Leading study author, Dr Jackie Center says: "While women are initially twice as likely as men to have a fracture, once the first break occurs, the risk of a second substantially increases and the protective effects of being male disappear altogether."
"Anyone, a man or a woman, over 50 years of age, with a fracture of any kind resulting from minimal injury, such as a slip on the pavement, needs to be investigated and treated for osteoporosis, because there are good treatments available and these can halve the likelihood of a subsequent fracture", added Dr Center.
Currently, the majority of postmenopausal women and older men who have a fracture fail to get proper treatment that could help prevent a subsequent fracture. Part of the problem lies in getting other clinicians and the public to make the link between having a fracture and osteoporosis.
"Our new research shows that once men and women have had a fracture, the chances of either having a second break are not only much higher, but they are equivalent; thus, the common public perception that osteoporosis affects mainly elderly women is misconceived," says co-author and clinician Professor John Eisman, who heads Garvan's Bone & Mineral Research Program.
Osteoporosis affects more than two million Australians. Economic consultancy Access Economics estimates the total cost to Australia, which includes factors such as carers and lost income, to be $7 billion per year, i.e. almost $20 million every day. Aside from these financial costs, fractures often affect mobility, are linkedn to depression and loss of confidence in older people, and increase the risk of dying prematurely, more so in men.
The teams' findings, published this week in a leading international scientific publication, is based on the Garvan's ongoing Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology (population) Study, which has almost two decades worth of data from several thousand people, male and female.
Notes for editors:
This research is published in the January 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). It was funded in part by the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) with additional support from Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited, Eli Lilly and Company, and GE Lunar Corporation. Risk of subsequent fracture after low trauma fracture in men and women. Jacqueline R Center, Dana Bluic, Tuan V Nguyen, John A Eisman. Garvan's Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study has produced more than 60 scientific papers; many of
them making important advances and providing crucial information for a better understanding of osteoporosis worldwide. In addition, the data has been included in major World Health Organisation reports on osteoporosis risk factors and treatment.
The Dubbo Osteoporosis study is currently suffering from a major funding shortfall and appeals for funding assistance are being made to the public and business community.
About Garvan:
The Garvan Institute of Medical Research was founded in 1963. Initially a research department of St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, it is now one of Australia's largest medical research institutions with approximately 400 scientists, students and support staff. Garvan's main research programs are: Cancer, Diabetes & Obesity, Arthritis & Immunology, Osteoporosis, and Neuroscience. The Garvan's mission is to
science and medicine and have major impacts on human health. The outcome of Garvan's discoveries is the development of better methods of diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately, prevention of disease.