Secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures: evaluation of the Amiens University Hospital's fracture liaison service between January 2010 and December 2011.

Summary: The main goal was to assess the performance of the fracture liaison service (FLS) at Amiens University Hospital for 2 years. Osteoporosis medication was prescribed in 182 patients and 67.4 % were still taking treatment 18 months later. Secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures has improved since the creation of the FLS. Introduction: The main goal of the present study was to assess the performance and results of the FLS at Amiens University Hospital, France. Methods: This was an observational, single-center, ambispective study. All patients admitted to Amiens University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2011 for a low-trauma fracture (vertebral and non-vertebral fractures) were identified by a FLS nurse. Patients willing to enter the study were assessed for their osteoporosis risk factors, daily calcium intake, bone mineral density (BMD) by DXA, and clinical chemistry parameters. When indicated, the patients received a prescription for osteoporosis medication. The participation rate, type of osteoporosis medications, initiation rate, and osteoporosis treatment persistence 12 and 18 months later were assessed. Results: Of the 1,439 patients contacted, 872 were eligible for inclusion. A total of 335 patients (participation rate 38.4 %) were included in the study (mean age 63.3 years; 71.9 % female). All patients underwent BMD measurement, and more than 90 % of them were assessed for osteoporosis risk factors and daily calcium intake. Osteoporosis medication was prescribed in 182 (75.5 %) of the patients in whom it was indicated ( n = 241). The main class of osteoporosis medications prescribed was bisphosphonates (83.5 %), and 74.1 and 67.4 % of treated patients were still taking treatment 12 and 18 months later, respectively. The main cause of treatment discontinuation was non-renewal of the prescription by the patient's general practitioner. Conclusion: Secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures in Amiens University Hospital has improved since the creation of the FLS, with encouragingly high treatment initiation and persistence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]