di Paola Raschielli
Osteoporosis-related fractures will double by 2050, but an effective solution for patients and the healthcare system already exists. A new study published in the journal New England Journal of Medicine whose first author is the teacher Nicola Napoli, Professor of Endocrinology UCBM and rector of the Osteo-Metabolic and Thyroid Pathologies Unit of the University Hospital.
WHO considers osteoporosis a global problem: The mortality rate in the first 12 months after a hip fracture ranges from 14,4 percent to 28,3 percent, reaching 55 percent for those living in nursing homes. Yet, less than 20 percent of patients receive adequate care. The solution proposed by experts is called Fracture Liaison Service (FLS)Specialized hospital programs identify patients with fragility fractures, ensuring a multidisciplinary assessment and ensuring the appropriate pharmacological and rehabilitative approach. This type of program has already demonstrated impressive results: a reduction in the risk of new fractures of up to 74 percent in the first year and 32 percent in subsequent years."Ensuring access to care and coordinated action by doctors, scientific societies and health authorities means ensuring secondary prevention of fractures and therefore reducing their impact in terms of morbidity and mortality.", he explained Nicola Napoli.
The study, also signed by the professors Peter R. Ebeling of Monash University (Australia) and Douglas Kiel of Harvard Medical School, emphasizes that investing in prevention today means saving lives and healthcare resources in the future.
