[Diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis after a Colles' fracture].

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether the presence of Colles fracture leads to diagnostic studies or treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

DESIGN

Retrospective study with follow-up of incident cases.

SETTING

Hospital General de Vic and Primary Care Centre Osona. Vic. Barcelona.

PARTICIPANTS AND

METHODS

We studied 80 postmenopausal women with Colles' fracture during 1995-1996. The clinical records were systematically reviewed and treatment with antiosteoporotic drugs before and after Colles' fracture were compared.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

Diagnostic studies were found in 3 (3.8%) patients. 6 patients (7.5%) took antiosteoporotic drugs before the fracture while 21 (26.3%, p < 0.001) did so after it.

CONCLUSIONS

A recent Colles' fracture induces few osteoporosis diagnostic studies. However, it leads to a significant increase in the use of antiosteoporotic drugs.