U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Osteoporosis – Screening

Release Date: September 2002

Summary of
Recommendations / Supporting
Documents

Summary of Recommendations

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women
  aged 65 and older be screened routinely for osteoporosis. The USPSTF
  recommends that routine screening begin at age 60 for women at increased risk
  for osteoporotic fractures (see Clinical
  Considerations for discussion of women at increased risk). B
  recommendation.

  Rationale: The USPSTF found good
  evidence that the risk for osteoporosis and fracture increases with age and
  other factors, that bone density measurements accurately predict the risk for
  fractures in the short-term, and that treating asymptomatic women with
  osteoporosis reduces their risk for fracture. The USPSTF concludes that the
  benefits of screening and treatment are of at least moderate magnitude for
  women at increased risk by virtue of age or presence of other risk factors.

• The USPSTF makes no recommendation for or against routine osteoporosis
  screening in postmenopausal women who are younger than 60 or in women aged
  60-64 who are not at increased risk for osteoporotic fractures. C
  recommendation.

  Rationale: The USPSTF found fair
  evidence that screening women at lower risk for osteoporosis or fracture can
  identify additional women who may be eligible for treatment for osteoporosis,
  but it would prevent a small number of fractures. The USPSTF concludes that
  the balance of benefits and harms of screening and treatment is too close to
  make a general recommendation for this age group.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Osteoporosis, September 2002

Recommendations
and Rationale (PDF file,
71 KB)
Summary
of the Evidence (PDF file,
223 KB)

Systematic Evidence Review (File Download, 166 KB)

What’s New
from the USPSTF (PDF
file, 76 KB)

Press
Release
Guide to Clinical Preventive
Services, 2nd Edition
Screening
for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis, 1996

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