Doctors from different disciplines to draft uniform guidelines for osteoporosis

MUMBAI: Late detection of osteoporosis, which affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 in India, has prompted a multidisciplinary team of doctors, including gynaecologists, orthopaedics, endocrinologists, nephrologists, rheumatologists and trauma care specialists, to draft uniform guidelines to fill the gaps in diagnosis and treatment

MUMBAI: Late detection of osteoporosis, which affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 in India, has prompted a multidisciplinary team of doctors, including gynaecologists, orthopaedics, endocrinologists, nephrologists, rheumatologists and trauma care specialists, to draft uniform guidelines to fill the gaps in diagnosis and treatment. The initiative is spearheaded by the Osteoporosis Society of India (OSI).

Osteoporosis, often known as a silent disease because it usually shows no symptoms until a low-velocity fracture occurs, develops over time due to a loss of bone strength and density. Often, symptoms remain undiagnosed until they become harmful, and hence early detection is crucial to implement preventive measures.

“Since osteoporosis is caused by gynaecological, endocrinological, orthopaedic and other such factors, doctors often follow treatment protocols specific to their own specialisation,” said Dr Sushrut Babhulkar, president, OSI. “To address this gap, we are coordinating with multi-disciplinary specialists related to osteoporosis to come up with a uniform framework for treatment.”

Doctors said guidelines and a framework for treatment were also critical because Indians and Asians display symptoms that are different from their western counterparts. Unlike the Americans and Europeans, who have higher cases of isolated osteoporosis due to low bone density and bone brittleness, Asians and Indians display different aspects of osteoporosis—apart from isolated osteoporosis due to brittle bones, they suffer from osteomalacia due to a Vitamin D deficiency or even sarcopenia due to muscle weakness.

A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Research in Orthopaedics, conducted among 31,238 subjects, found 22.9% of adults in India affected by the condition. One in three women and one in five men aged over 50 were at risk of osteoporotic fractures, with the prevalence of osteoporosis slightly higher in females than males, with an even higher prevalence in postmenopausal women.

In order to help patients self-evaluate their bone density and determine if they are susceptible to osteoporosis, OSI last week launched a bone health scorecard. Based on eight prognostic parameters, including gender, age, body mass index, comorbidities and steroid use, the scores help categorise osteoporosis risk as ‘no risk’, ‘low risk’ or ‘severe risk’, following which patients can seek immediate medication. OSI is seeking to share the diagnostic card with 10,000 doctors across 500 districts in India to help general physicians identify the condition and make it available over the counter through the medical stores network.

11 am-2pm sunlight for Vit D

Contrary to conventional wisdom, new research shows that sunlight between 11 am and 1 pm is necessary for replenishing Vitamin D. “Early morning sunlight is of little or no help,” said Dr Sushrut Babhulkar.