Hi all, just to let you know, the Summer issue of Osteoporosis News is winging its way to members and is available to new members now. Highlights this issue include:
Medical News...
Rib fractures in older men should prompt osteoporosis evaluation
Rib fractures in older men are often associated with risk markers for osteoporosis, such as low bone density and a history of fracture, according to a report in the British Medical Journal. In light of these findings, Dr Elizabeth Barrett-Connor from the University of California, San Diego, and her co-authors conclude that “rib fractures should be considered to be osteoporotic fractures in the evaluation of older men for treatment to prevent future fracture”.
The researchers analysed data on 5,995 men from 6 regions in America, all at least 65 years old and belonging to the prospective Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort. Every 4 months, for an average of 6 years, they completed postal surveys regarding falls and fractures.
Study examines link between bisphosphonates and femur fracture
The occurrence of an unusual type of fracture of the thigh bone is very low in patients with osteoporosis, including those treated with bisphosphonates, according to a new study from scientists at the University of California, San Francisco. Individual cases of these unusual fractures have been previously reported in association with bisphosphonates use but there has been a lack of data from research trials.
The new study is the first to take a proper look at these unusual fractures and combines data from three bisphosphonate trials involving more than 14,000 patients
Real life stories...
Sheila Hills
Around two years ago, I was out and about when I stepped off a curb and lost my balance. I started to fall backwards but was caught by a relative, which was fortunate, but I heard an almighty crack and realised I must have broken something.
Sheila says, as a result of her fall, she did a “ridiculous amount of damage,” fracturing her leg and ankle. She felt something must be wrong so, with help from relatives, found some information on the National Osteoporosis Society website and spoke to one of our Helpline nurses.
Soon after this, Shiela went for a DXA scan which confirmed she had osteoporosis. The news came as a shock, and Sheila says she had not been aware of any risk factors that may have been behind her diagnosis
Q&A: Gillian Smith
When did you first find out you had osteoporosis?
I found out I had osteoporosis about five years ago when I was 55. I have a strong family history of the disease. My mother had a ‘dowager’s hump’ for as long as I can remember, although osteoporosis was never mentioned. She always nagged me to “stand up straight, or you’ll have a back like mine”. Mom’s sisters probably had osteoporosis too. I asked the doctor for a scan because I was afraid I would follow the family trend.
What was your first reaction?
I was disappointed, but not surprised when the results showed my spine and hips were in the range of five and ten years older than they should be.
In-depth features:
Holiday Time
Summer is here again and no matter what the English weather may hold for us over the next few weeks, many people will haveeither been looking forward to getting away to sunnier climes, or enjoying a glorious break somewhere in the UK.
For people and their families who are affected by osteoporosis, making sure you’ve made the right choice of holiday is an important decision. If you’re planning on heading abroad, the first thing you may need to consider is holiday insurance.
New card scheme
If you are travelling within continental Europe you will now be required to be in possession of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – the card which replaced the old E111 paper in 2006. The new card allows EU nationals to obtain the same level of healthcare as a local resident in a member country when travelling. The new card scheme covers short-term trips around Europe and Switzerland, but only covers basic national healthcare as received by local residents and does not cover those living permanently outside the UK. The new card does provide the user with essential care needed for the length of stay, which means that in cases of travel with existing/chronic medical conditions non-emergency care will also be provided.
Expert answers to your questions:
Helpline Queries:
Is it true that vitamin K is important for bone health and if so, does it make a difference if I take vitamin K supplements or can I obtain enough in my diet?
Vitamin K is best known for its role in blood clotting, but it may also help maintain bone strength. It plays a role in the alteration of a protein called osteocalcin which influences bone-building. We obtain vitamin K from food (vitamin K1 or phylloquinone) but it’s also produced by bacteria in our intestines (vitamin K2 or menaquinones). As vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, any excess in the body is stored in the liver for future use. Vitamin K deficiency is extremely rare in healthy adults and seen only in those with malabsorption problems or severe liver disease.
Adults need approximately 0.001 mg per kg of body weight a day. Dietary vitamin K1 is an important source. It can be obtained from a varied and healthy diet containing plenty of green leafy vegetables, parsley, vegetable oils such as olive, soybean and rapeseed oils and cereals. Lesser amounts are present in dairy
products, meat and eggs. It is readily absorbed. The availability of
vitamin K to the body is the same for both raw and cooked
broccoli and is unaffected by the fat content of a meal.
If you are a member and you've had your copy of Osteoporosis News, please reply and let me know what you think of the current issue. I'm always looking for ways to improve the magazine and all feedback is gratefully received.
Thanks
Dom