Objective: To define factors that identify patients at highest risk for osteoporosis who should be screened.
Methods: We gave a questionnaire we developed for osteoporosis risk factors to 1346 menopausal women who were being screened by bone densitometry at the spine, hip, and femoral neck. Chi-square analysis using the one-tailed test was done on all categoric variables to determine differences or patterns in bone mineral density at specific sites. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done on each of the three sites scanned to determine which combination of independent variables was a significant predictor of the presence or absence of osteoporosis.
Results: Factors identified that were significant for the presence of osteoporosis were age 61 years or older, weight 165 pounds or less, or lack of any use of estrogen, either oral contraceptives or estrogen replacement therapy.
Conclusion: We devised a simple system to identify which patients should be screened for osteoporosis.