Clinical Risk Assessment of Osteoporosis in Patients with Overt Hyperthyroidism in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Endocrinology Unit, April 2025
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-04-19
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a significant public health concern characterized by low bone mineral density and an increased fracture risk, particularly in patients with overt hyperthyroidism. However, data on the magnitude of osteoporosis risk in this population, particularly in Ethiopia, remain limited. Objective To assess the 10-year osteoporotic fracture risk and its determinants among patients with overt hyperthyroidism at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods An institution-based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism receiving follow-up care at the Endocrine Clinic of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. The FRAX score was used to assess the 10-year osteoporotic fracture risk. Data were collected using a standardized, pre-tested questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with descriptive statistics used to summarize patient characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was planned to identify factors associated with intermediate to high osteoporotic fracture risk, with a significance level of 95%. However, regression analysis could not be conducted due to the small number of patients in these categories.
Results Overall, a total of 134 patients with hyperthyroidism were included in this study, with a mean age of 56.3 ± 10.9 years; the majority (88.1%) was female. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism was toxic multinodular goiter (49.3%), followed by Graves' disease (15.7%). All patients except four were taking antithyroid medication at the time of testing, and over half of the patients had normal or elevated TSH levels. The 10-year fracture risk calculated using the FRAX tool showed a low mean risk for major osteoporotic fractures (2.72%) and hip fractures (0.71%). Only 3.7% (5/134) of patients were classified as being at high risk for hip fractures (≥3%). The risk factors for intermediate to high osteoporotic fracture risk could not be determined because there were not enough patients in these categories to conduct regression analysis.
Conclusion and Recommendations The results provide evidence of low 10-year osteoporotic fracture risk for patients with hyperthyroidism, with only a small percentage of patients at high risk for hip fractures. Future studies would benefit from larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods to better establish this information, particularly in limited-resource environments, as fracture risk may be unrecognized, particularly due to limitations in diagnostics.
Keywords: Osteoporosis, Hyperthyroidism, FRAX, Bone Mineral Density
Description
Keywords
Osteoporosis Hyperthyroidis FRAX Bone Mineral Density