Clinical utility of one-third radius BMD in a population-based prospective cohort of older adults: Insights from the São Paulo Aging & Health (São Paulo Ageing & Health (SPAH)) study
Authors' conclusion
Including one-third radius BMD improves fracture risk prediction in older adults, particularly when hip measurements are unavailable or inconclusive.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged ≥65 years (63.5% women) from the São Paulo Ageing & Health (SPAH) study with baseline DXA at spine, hip and one-third radius63.5% women
- Participants
- 707 adults
- Exposure
- One-third radius BMD vs spine and hip BMD for osteoporosis classification and fracture prediction
- Outcome
- Incident fragility fractures
- Follow-up
- 4.3±0.8 years
Methodological detailspopulation-based, multivariate logistic regression
- Population-based
- Multivariate logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Fracture risk with one-third radius osteoporosis (T-score≤−2.5), women
Radius osteoporosis independently predicted fracture risk in women, RR
1.61
95% CI 1.04–2.48
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Increase in osteoporosis diagnoses with one-third radius BMD
- Women, up to
- 8.6%
- Men, up to
- 8.2%
- Among individuals who fractured (women)
- 11.1%
- Among individuals who fractured (men)
- 15.7%
Total hip BMD (per SD decrease), multisite model, women
- RR
- 1.72 (95%CI: 1.06-2.78; p=0.028)
- Lower hip and radius BMD, but not spine BMD, associated with higher risk; radius BMD lost significance in multisite models
Men
- Few fracture events precluded multivariable analysis
Original publication
Clinical utility of one-third radius BMD in a population-based prospective cohort of older adults: Insights from the São Paulo Aging & Health (SPAH) study. Osteoporos Int. Published 23 February 2026. doi:10.
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