Fractures and their complications will be a health problem of the first order in the coming years due to the aging population. In Spain it is estimated that osteoporosis (OP) affects 32% of women aged 50 years and above to 52% of those aged 70 years.1 In addition, between 53% and 92% of fractures in women older than 50 years are attributed to OP.2 Fragility fractures are more common in patients who have had previous fractures. Wrist fracture, for example, increases the risk of hip and3 vertebral fracture. It is estimated that one of 4 patients with vertebral fracture suffer a second vertebral fracture during the next 2 years and 26% will suffer a non-vertebral fracture in the year following. At the same time, a fractured femur is the leading cause of disability and mortality in the elderly.4 In terms of costs, one study estimated that hip fracture, within 5 years, involves a cost of $36,929 U.S. dollars for women and $39,479 for men.5 The consequences of hip fracture were comparable to those of acute myocardial infarction and stroke.6 These data justify the need for an effective program to prevent fragility fractures.

Although treatment of patients with an OP fracture is cost effective in order to prevent new fractures,7 less than 20% of patients who have suffered a fragility fracture receive antiresorptive bisphosphonate treatment.8–10

Thus, 60% of cases of vertebral fractures diagnosed in primary care receive no treatment to prevent new vertebral fractures.11 Moreover, a high rate of treatment with antiresorptive bisphosphonates abandonment was found in these patients.12 Therefore, programs are needed for the detection and study of fractured patients, establishing management guidelines.

Coordination between hospitals and primary care is very important in these cases because once the fracture is healed there is no clear reference on who should undertake the study and monitoring of the patients. Existing models for secondary prevention of fractures are mostly Anglo-Saxon13,14 and should be adapted to our healthcare environment. In this study we present the results of a strategy for secondary prevention of osteoporotic fracture, the first multidisciplinary study of its type in Spain.

This is an observational study, conducted in the area of Gran Canaria north, with 2 distinct parts: (1) prospective intervention study and (2) retrospective study. The structure of the health area in 2012 was as follows: 332,650 inhabitants older than 14 years of age, 21 health centers and 255 primary care physicians.

In this paper we present the results of the first 12 months of the program.

In the retrospective study, 167 patients met the criteria for evaluation; 70% women, with an average age of 71 years, were reviewed. The percentage of distribution of fractures in this group was as follows: forearm 30%, femur 24%, humerus 15%, and other fractures 29% (P=.57 compared with the prospective intervention group). In reviewing the 6 months after fracture treatment, 23 patients (13.7%) were prescribed an antiresorptive.

In the prospective study, a total of 532 patients met the inclusion criteria and were invited to participate, of whom 202 (38%) did not accept. Compared with the patients who agreed to participate, those who refused had a higher mean age (73 vs 70 years, P<.01) and a higher frequency of hip fracture (27 vs 21%, P<.01).

We included 330 patients for intervention, 254 of them women (77%). The mean age was 71 years, 64 patients were less than 60 years, 87 patients were between 60 and 69 years, 103 patients were between 70 and 79 years and 76 patients were over 79 years of age (Table 1). The most common fracture was that of the forearm (34%) followed by the femur (21%). A total of 68 patients (20%) were receiving calcium and/or vitamin D, and 45 patients (13%) were taking bisphosphonate or other effective drugs for reducing fractures at baseline (59 of them, 18% in the past). The DXA study showed osteopenia or OP in 80% of cases. The FRAX® for hip fracture was >3% in 153 patients (46%). After baseline, 213 patients were referred to the primary care physician (64%) and 117 patients to the hospital clinic (35%). In total, bisphosphonate treatment was recommended to 223 patients (67%): 109 of those sent to primary care (51%) and 114 of those sent to the hospital clinic (97%). The remaining 107 patients, presenting a low risk of fracture, received only general advice and supplements of calcium and vitamin D.

At follow-up at 3 months, from the data from 169 patients who were prescribed bisphosphonate treatment, 133 (78%) were undergoing the prescribed treatment. Twelve of the 133 patients started treatment after forwarding the DXA report to the PCP or after a new appointment in the hospital clinic. Extrapolating data to the entire sample of 223 patients receiving bisphosphonate (multiplied by 5 compared to baseline), 174 patients had started treatment 3 months after the visit (multiplied by 4 with respect to the baseline visit). Comparing the group of patients who started treatment at 3 months with those who did not, patients who started it were on average older (74 vs 70 years, P=.007). However, there were no significant differences in relation to gender, type of fracture, fracture risk measured by FRAX® or the type of physician to whom the patient (primary care or hospital rheumatology) was submitted.

Although there are moderately effective prophylactic treatments, most patients with fragility fracture are not studied or treated.8,10 In the present study, both in the retrospective group as at baseline and in the intervention group, fewer than 15% of patients were taking a bisphosphonate after fracture. We know it is more effective to treat with alendronate those patients with previous fracture since the number of patients needed to treat to prevent an OP vertebral fracture was 50 when no previous fracture was present (primary prevention), while it was an estimated 16 patients if a fragility fracture history was present.16

Different secondary prevention of fracture strategies published can be summarized as follows13:

• (a)

  On the patient: information by telephone and/or letter, education and summons to visit with or without performing DXA or, in case of hospitalization, a report with treatment recommendations.

• (b)

  On primary care physicians: report with treatment recommendations including DXA results if available. Performing DXA alone increases the prescription of treatment to prevent new fractures.17

• (c)

  Specific units fracture: it has been observed that units that include specific personnel, especially nurses supervised by physicians experienced in OP and fractures, are the most effective in secondary prevention.17 The model of coordinated care systems of attention to fractures is officially recommended by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.18

Furthermore, because adherence to treatment for OP is low, estimated at 40%–50% in the first year,12,19 patients who have suffered a fracture should be followed up in order to increase adherence to treatment. It has been found that when the patient takes more than 80% of the prescribed medication, future fractures reduce significantly.20

In a study conducted in Spain by orthopedic surgeons, an increase in the diagnosis and treatment of OP after discharge due to a fracture was observed.21 The authors analyzed the usefulness of specific software in 70 hospitals,21 attaining 61% correct treatments for OP in the discharge report. Although this is a simple model that requires little infrastructure and no additional staff, it has the disadvantage of not including DXA or confirmation by the prescribing physician or primary monitor.

In a previous study by our group on fragility fractures, all patients were referred to the outpatient clinic for clinical evaluation, undergoing a DXA and treatment, with clinical follow-up for 12 months. After 4 years, the persistence of bisphosphonate therapy was 71%,9 which for this model is appropriate, yet it does not seem very effective because all patients must be assessed in hospital clinics with the consequential reviews.

We believe that the model presented here, regarding the care of fragility fractures, is a reasonable approach, adapted to the characteristics of the Spanish health system, integrating primary care physicians and other related OP specialists such as rheumatologists. This strategy covers performing a DXA, evaluation and patient education by the nurse and tracks treatment control, all known factors associated with an increase in fracture treatments. The time taken to carry it out is one day a week for the nurse and one day a month for the medical coordinator.

Results from the first year of our program are similar to those of other published models.9,17 The percentage of patients who were prescribed bisphosphonate increased from 13% at baseline to 67% after the evaluation. In the study by Harrington and Lease held in Madison (USA), after 3 years of experience with a coordinated unit fractures nurse and rheumatologist, they evaluated and advised treatment to 61% of patients with22 fractures. However, the most successful model is that done in Glasgow, which achieves 80% of patients participating in the program, 74% received treatment, with 96% of treatments prescribed by the GP and with patient compliance at one year of 86%.23 Thus, the Glasgow model appears to be cost effective, so it was taken as a reference for other centers in the UK.23

Our experience with these patients is that some of them are reluctant to participate in the study or take medication, assuming that only trauma was involved and they do not require more visits once the fracture is consolidated. It is therefore important that all health services involved in the patient's fracture remember the need for bone metabolic evaluation, starting with emergency medical and trauma care, to the primary care physician and musculoskeletal related specialists, endocrinology and other medical specialties. The main weakness we found in our study is not so much related to the model per se as the insufficient awareness of other medical specialties, such as primary care and trauma, on the importance of secondary prevention of fractures. When we reviewed the treatments at 3 months of the baseline visit, about a quarter of patients who were indicated or prescribed a bisphosphonate was not taking it; reasons such as fear of adverse effects or becoming a polymedicated patient were common. Therefore, we will try to strengthen the relationship with other specialties through training campaigns.

Rheumatology plays an important role in the secondary prevention of fractures because a good number of DXA units are managed by rheumatologists. In this regard, we believe that active uptake of fractured patients should be a priority of DXA units.

Our results show that, in the short-term, the strategy works as it involves the use of a small staff. If confirmed in the long term, this will allow the implementation of the model as a consolidated portfolio of services in the area of health care offerings.

In summary, we present the first multi-disciplinary and multi-professional program for secondary prevention of fractures in Spain, coordinated by rheumatologists. The number of patients who were prescribed and initiated bisphosphonate is multiplied 4 times compared with standard treatment.

This study is funded as a national research project by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, Carlos III Health Institute (reference PI11/01429).

The authors have no conflicts of interest.