Evaluation of osteoporosis risk assessment in veterans receiving androgen-deprivation therapy.

Objective: To identify whether veterans receiving androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) are screened at any time by bone mass measurement.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Veterans Administration Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VA-TVHS).

Patients: All male veterans who received at least one dose of goserelin or leuprolide within the fiscal years October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2009.

Interventions: Data from patients' charts were extracted for demographic information (race, age, and weight prior to the initial injection); date of initiation of therapy; the use of calcium, vitamin D, bisphosphonate, or calcitonin therapy; and documented bone-mineral density testing.

Main Outcome Measure: To determine whether veterans receiving ADT with goserelin or leuprolide for prostate cancer were screened at any time for BMD more or less than rates as documented in previous literature.

Results: 22.8% of veterans were screened for BMD, which was statistically significant when compared with results found in previous literature.

Conclusion: Although rates of BMD testing were higher at VA-TVHS compared with previous literature, this rate is still low given the well-known risk of accelerated osteoporosis associated with ADT.