Use of antiosteoporotic medication in the Danish ROSE population-based screening study.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the impact on medication prescription, adherence, and persistence of osteoporotic medicine in the randomized population-based ROSE screening study for osteoporosis. The Danish ROSE study included a population-based random sample of women aged 65-81years randomized to either a two-step screening program consisting of FRAX followed by DXA for high-risk participants or opportunistic screening for osteoporosis (usual care). This sub-study on the intention-to-treat population examined the impact of the screening program on antiosteoporotic medication redemption rates, adherence, and persistence using Danish registers. A total of 30,719 of 34,229 women were treatment-naïve. Significantly more participants in the screening group started on antiosteoporotic medication, but no differences in adherence and persistence rates were found. Higher age was associated with a higher likelihood of starting medication. A low Charlson comorbidity score (= 1) was associated with higher treatment initiation but lower adherence and persistence of antiosteoporotic treatment. A total of 31.7% of participants advised to initiate treatment did not follow the advice. Screening for osteoporosis using FRAX followed by DXA increased the overall use of antiosteoporotic medication in the screening group without differences in adherence and persistence rates. A large percentage of participants advised to initiate treatment did nevertheless fail to do so.