Case contributed by Dr Gamaliel Tan Yu-Heng, Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore.

Patient Information

Age: 84 years 

Sex: Female

Underlying diseases:

  • Dementia
  • History

    Presenting complaint

    • Low back pain after fall at home
      • Duration: 1 week
    • Patient uses walking frame at home, assisted by helper
    • She sat down hard on toilet seat and complained of lower back pain.
  • Physical examination
    • Physical examination revealed a tender lower back
    • Patient was found to have a compression fracture at L1 on X-ray.
  • Investigation

    BMD on August 2024

    • Hip T-score: -3.1
    • Spine T-score: -1.7
    BMD on August 2024

    Left Hip BMD Before Romosozumab Treatment

    Region BMD
    (g/cm3)
    T-score
    Left Neck 0.501 - 2.9
    Total 0.557 - 3.1
    BMD on August 2024

    Spine BMD Before Romosozumab Treatment

    Region BMD
    (g/cm3)
    T-score
    L2 0.799 - 1.5
    L3 0.840 - 1.5
    L4 0.812 - 1.8
    Total 0.817 - 1.7
  • Treatment

    Non-pharmacological

    • Calcium
    • Vitamin D

    Pharmacological

    • Romosozumab was initiated for 12 months, until October 2025
      • Patient has a lumbar spine fracture and is at high risk of further falls due to her dementia and frailty. Given her severe BMD score, Romosozumab was chosen as it provides the fastest way to increase bone density.
  • Follow-up

    Disease progression

    • There is a slight improvement in hip T-score; while there more improvement in spine T-score.
    • BMD on October 2025, 1 year after romosozumab initiation:
      • Hip T-score: -3.0
      • Spine T-score: -1.2
    BMD on August 2024

    Left Hip BMD After 1 Year Romosozumab Treatment

    Region BMD
    (g/cm3)
    T-score
    Left Neck 0.522 - 2.7
    Total 0.568 - 3.0
    BMD on August 2024

    Spine BMD After 1 Year Romosozumab Treatment

    Region BMD
    (g/cm3)
    T-score
    L2 0.872 - 0.9
    L3 0.899 - 1.1
    L4 0.875 - 1.3
    Total 0.882 - 1.2
  • Summary
    • Patient complained of low back pain after a fall at home, and was found to have a compression fracture at L1
    • The BMD values on presentation were:
      • Hip T-score: -3.1
      • Spine T-score: -1.7
    • Patient has a lumbar spine fracture and is at high risk of further falls due to her dementia and frailty. Given her severe BMD score, Romosozumab was initiated for 1 year as it provides the fastest way to increase bone density.
    • After 1 year on romosozumab, there was a slight improvement in hip T-score; while there more improvement in spine T-score.
      • Hip T-score: -3.0
      • Spine T-score: -1.2
    • Changes in BMD after completing 1 year of Romosozumab
      • Total hip BMD changes: [(0.568 – 0.557)/0.557 X 100% = 1.97%
      • Lumbar spine BMD changes: [(0.882 – 0.817)/0.817 X 100% = 7.95%
    Summary
  • Estimated Fracture Risk Reduction Associated with BMD Improvement

    Estimated Fracture Risk Reduction1

    Estimated Fracture Risk Reduction Associated with BMD Improvement
  • References

    1. Bouxsein ML, Eastell R, Lui LY, et al; FNIH Bone Quality Project. Change in Bone Density and Reduction in Fracture Risk: A Meta-Regression of Published Trials. J Bone Miner Res. 2019 Apr;34(4):632-642.

    Abbreviations

    BMD, bone mineral density

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