Higher education and better knowledge of osteoporosis improve bone health in Polish postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to establish the influence of knowledge of osteoporosis and educational level on bone health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 351 women, aged 50-88 years (mean 66.3 ± 8.6). None of them had had any previous personal experience with osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment. They filled in a questionnaire consisting of 10 questions assessing their knowledge about osteoporosis. All of them underwent femoral neck densitometry (GE Lunar, USA). RESULTS: The mean score in the knowledge questionnaire was 7.4 ± 1.6 points (range 2-10). The lowest percentage of correct answers was observed in the sentences regarding the possibility of successful cure of osteoporosis and the role of physical activity in osteoporosis treatment. The mean score in the osteoporosis questionnaire correlated negatively with the age of the participants (r = -0.2, p < 0.05) and was better among patients with higher educational degree (8.2 vs. 6.4 points, p < 0.001). Both the educational degree and the level of knowledge of osteoporosis correlated with bone mineral density (BMD) and T-score. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly and less educated women showed lower levels of knowledge about osteoporosis and its consequences. The study suggests that bone health in postmenopausal women may be indirectly improved by education concerning osteoporosis and its prevention.

[The role of bone metabolic markers in qualification for treatment of osteoporosis. Results of POMOST study]. / Rola markerów metabolizmu kostnego w kwalifikacji do leczenia osteoporozy. Wyniki programu POMOST.

INTRODUCTION: Increased bone turnover markers (BTM) level is consider as independent risk factor of bone fracture. However, it was not used in 10-year probability of bone fracture method (FRAX) proposed by WHO, which helps in qualification of patients for pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of BTM in qualification for pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in 152 subjects (20 men and 132 women) referred to Krajowe Centrum Osteoporozy. One-hundred thirty two of them were qualified for pharmacological treatment and 20 for prophylaxis on the basis of qualitative method. The following BTM were examined in all patients: of bone formation - N-terminal propeptide of procolagen type I (PINP) and N-mid osteocalcin (OC) and of bone resorption - C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of collagen type I (CTx). RESULTS: The values over that considered as independent fracture risk (in women only, no data for men) were found in 39 women with PINP, 39 with OC and 41 with CTx. Part of women had decreased serum BTM (10 women 3 BTM and 35 with 1 at least). There were not significant differences in serum BTM depending on the presence of clinical fracture risk factors: osteoporotic fracture in past, osteoporotic hip fracture in parents, chronic treatment with glucocorticosteroids and qualification for pharmacological treatment on the basis of qualitative and FRAX method. There was no significant difference in the presence of fracture risk factors depending on increased or decreased serum BTM. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study did not show the practical use of BTM in qualification for pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis.