The Role of DEXA Scanning in Secondary Fragility Fracture Prevention.
- 1Department of Physician Assistant Studies, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia.
- 2Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia.
Abstract
Fragility fractures are often the first clinical sign of osteoporosis and represent a substantial source of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expense in older persons. Despite clear evidence supporting secondary fracture prevention, postfracture care often emphasizes the recovery from the injury itself while insufficiently addressing the underlying skeletal disease. As a result, approximately 6% of patients will have a subsequent fragility fracture within 1 year of the initial injury. In addition, without intervention, osteoporosis will progress in these patients resulting in chronic pain, disability, and decreased quality of life. To slow the progression of osteoporosis, along with lowering the risk of secondary fragility fractures, the aim of this review was to assess the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in postfracture osteoporosis assessment and monitoring with a focus on its integration with pharmaceutical therapy, fall-prevention techniques, and fracture liaison services (FLS). Without the intervention of FLS, less than one-third of patients will initiate osteoporosis medication therapies within the first year of a hip fracture, despite strong guideline recommendations. DEXA-based bone mineral density evaluation enhances clinical risk stratification, promotes the initiation of evidence-based pharmacologic therapy, and improves osteoporosis detection. The use of DEXA within FLS models improved treatment adherence and subsequently reduced the number of secondary fractures. DEXA-guided postfracture care is essential for lowering recurrent fractures and enhancing outcomes for older persons, especially when incorporated into coordinated care pathways.
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BibTeX
@article{bartolovic2026role,
title = {{The Role of DEXA Scanning in Secondary Fragility Fracture Prevention.}},
author = {Gabrielle Bartolovic and Isabella Aperfine and Ellie Cunningham and Brooke Davison and Berlimar Fantoni and McKenzie Melott and Emily Pavlic and Tayler Reed and Margaret Sims and Deanna M Schmitt},
journal = {Journal of orthopedics for physician assistants},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2106/jbjs.jopa.26.00013},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921334},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The Role of DEXA Scanning in Secondary Fragility Fracture Prevention.
AU - Gabrielle Bartolovic
AU - Isabella Aperfine
AU - Ellie Cunningham
AU - Brooke Davison
AU - Berlimar Fantoni
AU - McKenzie Melott
AU - Emily Pavlic
AU - Tayler Reed
AU - Margaret Sims
AU - Deanna M Schmitt
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - Journal of orthopedics for physician assistants
DO - 10.2106/jbjs.jopa.26.00013
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921334
AB - Fragility fractures are often the first clinical sign of osteoporosis and represent a substantial source of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expense in older persons. Despite clear evidence supporting secondary fracture prevention, postfracture care often emphasizes the recovery from the injury itself while insufficiently addressing the underlying skeletal disease. As a result, approximately 6% of patients will have a subsequent fragility fracture within 1 year of the initial injury. In addition, without intervention, osteoporosis will progress in these patients resulting in chronic pain, disability, and decreased quality of life. To slow the progression of osteoporosis, along with lowering the risk of secondary fragility fractures, the aim of this review was to assess the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in postfracture osteoporosis assessment and monitoring with a focus on its integration with pharmaceutical therapy, fall-prevention techniques, and fracture liaison services (FLS). Without the intervention of FLS, less than one-third of patients will initiate osteoporosis medication therapies within the first year of a hip fracture, despite strong guideline recommendations. DEXA-based bone mineral density evaluation enhances clinical risk stratification, promotes the initiation of evidence-based pharmacologic therapy, and improves osteoporosis detection. The use of DEXA within FLS models improved treatment adherence and subsequently reduced the number of secondary fractures. DEXA-guided postfracture care is essential for lowering recurrent fractures and enhancing outcomes for older persons, especially when incorporated into coordinated care pathways.
SN - 2470-1122
ER -