New reference data on bone mineral density and the prevalence of osteoporosis in Korean adults aged 50 years or older: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the reference values for

bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and

the prevalence of osteoporosis in the Korean population by applying domestic

reference data. In total, 25,043 Korean adults >/=20 yr of age (11,792 men and

13,251 women) participated in the study. The BMDs of the total hip, femoral neck,

and lumbar spine were measured by DXA (Discovery-W, Hologic Inc.), and subjects

with a BMD - 2.5 standard deviations or lower than the mean BMD for young adults

(20-29 yr old) were considered to have osteoporosis. When applying the new

reference values determined in this study from Korean subjects, the overall

prevalence of osteoporosis increased in men aged >/=50 yr compared with that

provided by the DXA manufacturer from Japanese subjects (12.2% vs. 7.8%, P<0.001)

and decreased in postmenopausal women aged >/=50 yr (32.9% vs. 38.7%, P<0.001).

According to the findings of this study, use of the reference values provided by

the DXA manufacturer has resulted in the underdiagnosis of osteoporosis in Korean

men and the overdiagnosis of osteoporosis in Korean women. Our data will serve as

valuable reference standards for the diagnosis and management for osteoporosis in

the Korean population.