Cost-effectiveness of treatment of women aged 70 years and older with both osteopenia and microstructural deterioration

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Treatment is usually withheld from women with osteopenia even though they are the source of over 70% of all women having fragility fractures. As microstructural deterioration increases fracture risk and zoledronate reduces it, we aimed to determine whether identifying and treating women with osteopenia and severe microstructural deterioration is cost-effective. We also compared the health economic outcomes of 'global' versus 'targeted' treatment using SFS of women aged ≥70 years with osteopenia. DESIGN: We assessed the cost-effectiveness from using a Markov model that simulated 10-year follow up of women with osteopenia. Decision analysis compared measurement of distal radial micr..