High detection rate of osteoporosis with screening of a general hospitalized population: a 6-year study in 6406 patients in a university hospital setting.

Background: Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent disease identified by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) that can be performed in an ambulatory (out-patient) or hospitalized population. We evaluated the use of baseline in-hospital DEXA screening to identify osteoporosis in ambulatory care and hospitalized patients; we also assessed specific risk factors for osteoporosis among these populations.

Methods: We included a baseline initial DEXA from 6406 consecutive patients at our tertiary referral University Hospital.

Strontium ranelate: a new treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis with a dual mode of action.

In vitro, strontium ranelate increases collagen and noncollagen protein synthesis by mature osteoblast-enriched cells. Its effects on bone formation were confirmed as the drug enhanced preosteoblastic cell replication. In the isolated osteoclast, preincubation of bone slices with strontium ranelate-induced dose-dependent inhibition of the bone-resorbing activity of treated rat osteoclast.