PREVALENCE OF VERTEBRAL DEFORMITIES ACCORDING TO THE DIAGNOSTIC METHOD

Vertebral deformities are a major complication of osteoporosis, Althou gh their prevalence is known to increase with age, the absence of refe rence criteria complicates their radiologic diagnosis. We evaluated va riations in the prevalence of vertebral deformities according to the d iagnostic method used in 291 men and 262 women older than 50 years inc luded in the European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study, Lateral radiograph s of the thoracic and lumbar spine were obtained in all subjects using standardized parameters, Six morphometric and quantitative methods we re used to detect vertebral deformities. The prevalence of vertebral d eformities, the number of vertebral deformities per 100 subjects and t he prevalence of deformities for each vertebra varied according to the method used. With most methods, the percentage of subjects with verte bral deformities and the number of vertebral deformities were similar among the men and among the women. In the women, the prevalence and th e number of vertebral deformities increased with age; beyond 70 years of age, however, the prevalence remained stable with advancing age, al though the number of deformities per patient increased. In men, the pr evalence of vertebral deformities remained stable with advancing age, suggesting that osteoporosis was not the only cause of vertebral defor mity in this group, In conclusion, the prevalence of vertebral deformi ties varies according to the diagnostic method used. In men, none of t he six methods evaluated in this study adequately differentiates osteo porotic deformities from deformities due to other causes.