Retrospective Multicenter Study in Patients With Osteoporosis and Fragility Fractures to Estimate the Extent and Impact of Delayed Administration of Anti-fracture Therapy

Osteoporosis (OP) and fragility fractures are a significant problem that leads to morbidity, mortality, and high costs for the National Health System. The treatment of fragility fractures includes numerous anti-resorptive and anabolic drugs, and its goal is the secondary prevention of new fractures. It is well known that the risk of a new fracture following a fracture event is highest in the months immediately following the first fracture. However, recent data clearly show a dramatic global delay in the administration of anti-osteoporotic therapy following a fragility fracture. It has been estimated that in Italy, 71% of patients with fragility fractures eligible for anti-fracture treatment did not receive timely treatment (a problem defined as a "treatment gap"), and that in 2034, the incidence of new fragility fractures will increase compared to 2019 [1]. However, there is a lack of real-life Italian data on the extent of the treatment gap in osteoporotic patients with fragility fractures and its impact in terms of the incidence of subsequent fragility fractures: this study therefore aims to fill this gap by collecting data from a large population of patients attending several centers throughout the country.