Abstract
Background
In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the propensity to fall and the higher risk of osteoporosis converge yielding a high fracture risk. Updated National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) guidance recommends that PD should trigger a risk assessment, for example using the FRAX tool, yet clinical pathways remain sub-optimal. To address this, we generated an algorithm for the assessment and management of bone health specifically in PD.
Methods
Within the Proactive and Integrated Management and Empowerment in Parkinson’s Disease randomised controlled trial (PRIME-UK RCT), bone-health metrics were collected, and all participants were offered a dual X-ray absorptiometry scan. The FRAX tool was used to obtain the 10-year probability of hip and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF), and the resulting NOGG risk-category recorded. Probabilities were recalculated including femoral-neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD) and/or with numeric adjustment for recurrent falls, and results compared.
Results
Among 182 people with parkinsonism (mean age 73.8 years, 65% male, median disease duration 5 years), 28% reported a prior fragility fracture, and 40.7% recurrent falls over the previous year. 28.6% had MOF above NOGG intervention thresholds (IT); whilst 12.1% had a FN-BMD T-Score ≤ −2.5. Recalculation of FRAX with FN-BMD (n = 182) reduced fracture MOF and hip fracture probabilities; 12 (6.6%) deescalated below the IT, and 16 (8.8%) moved above the IT.
Conclusions
This 2024 BONE-PARK algorithm is informed by both the latest NOGG Guidelines and novel findings in a ‘real-world’ population. The algorithm will aid bone health assessment for people with PD.
In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the propensity to fall and the higher risk of osteoporosis converge yielding a high fracture risk. Updated National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) guidance recommends that PD should trigger a risk assessment, for example using the FRAX tool, yet clinical pathways remain sub-optimal. To address this, we generated an algorithm for the assessment and management of bone health specifically in PD.
Methods
Within the Proactive and Integrated Management and Empowerment in Parkinson’s Disease randomised controlled trial (PRIME-UK RCT), bone-health metrics were collected, and all participants were offered a dual X-ray absorptiometry scan. The FRAX tool was used to obtain the 10-year probability of hip and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF), and the resulting NOGG risk-category recorded. Probabilities were recalculated including femoral-neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD) and/or with numeric adjustment for recurrent falls, and results compared.
Results
Among 182 people with parkinsonism (mean age 73.8 years, 65% male, median disease duration 5 years), 28% reported a prior fragility fracture, and 40.7% recurrent falls over the previous year. 28.6% had MOF above NOGG intervention thresholds (IT); whilst 12.1% had a FN-BMD T-Score ≤ −2.5. Recalculation of FRAX with FN-BMD (n = 182) reduced fracture MOF and hip fracture probabilities; 12 (6.6%) deescalated below the IT, and 16 (8.8%) moved above the IT.
Conclusions
This 2024 BONE-PARK algorithm is informed by both the latest NOGG Guidelines and novel findings in a ‘real-world’ population. The algorithm will aid bone health assessment for people with PD.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | afaf052 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Age and Ageing |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Mar 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2025 The British Geriatrics Society.
Research Groups and Themes
- Ageing and Movement Research Group
Keywords
- Parkinson disease
- older people
- osteoporosis
- fracture
- accidental falls
- bone mineral density (BMD)