Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Bone

Is screening for secondary causes of osteoporosis worthwhile?

The contribution of secondary causes to low bone mass in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis is unknown. A study by Cerdá Gabaroi et al. aimed to fill this gap. While the researchers found a high prevalence of secondary causes, the importance of clinical risk factors should not be underestimated in the primary care setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Cerdá Gabaroi, D. et al. Search for hidden secondary causes in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Menopause 17, 135–139 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Black, D. M. et al. Comparison of methods for defining prevalent vertebral deformities: the study of osteoporotic fractures. J. Bone Miner. Res. 10, 890–902 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Holick, M. F. Vitamin D deficiency. N. Engl. J. Med. 357, 266–281 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tang, B. M., Eslick, G. D., Nowson, C., Smith, C. & Bensoussan, A. Use of calcium or calcium in combination with vitamin D supplementation to prevent fractures and bone loss in people aged 50 years and older: a meta-analysis. Lancet 370, 657–666 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Priemel, M. et al. Bone mineralization defects and vitamin D deficiency: histomorphometric analysis of iliac crest bone biopsies and circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D in 675 patients. J. Bone Miner. Res. 25, 305–312 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Deutschmann, H. A. et al. Search for occult secondary osteoporosis: impact of identified possible risk factors on bone mineral density. J. Intern. Med. 252, 389–397 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Silverberg, S. J., Lewiecki, E. M., Mosekilde, L., Peacock, M. & Rubin, M. R. Presentation of asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism: Proceedings of the third international workshop. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 94, 351–365 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Tannenbaum, C. et al. Yield of laboratory testing to identify secondary contributors to osteoporosis in otherwise healthy women. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 87, 4431–4437 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. [No authors listed] Management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: 2010 position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause 17, 25–54 (2010).

  10. WHO Scientific Group Technical Report. Kanis, J. A. on behalf of the World Health Organisation Scientific Group. Assessment of osteoporosis at the primary health care level. WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield. Assessment of osteoporosis at the primary health care level online, (2008).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors' research is supported by NIH grant AG28168.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Chris Gallagher.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gallagher, J., Sai, A. Is screening for secondary causes of osteoporosis worthwhile?. Nat Rev Endocrinol 6, 360–362 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2010.86

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2010.86

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing