RECONSIDERATION OF THE RELEVANCE OF MILD WEDGE OR SHORT VERTEBRAL HEIGHT DEFORMITIES ACROSS A BROAD AGE DISTRIBUTION

Osteoporos Int. 2014 Nov;25(11):2609-15. doi: 10.1007/s00198-014-2801-7. Epub 2014 Jul 29.

The study demonstrates that mild or wedged vertebral shape changes are rare among younger subjects, suggesting that when these radiographic abnormalities are seen among older adults, they are less likely to be due to normal variation in vertebral body shape or congenital deformities. In light of previously described associations between mild or wedge vertebral shape changes and low BMD, our findings support current recommendations to treat mild wedged vertebral changes as osteoporosis or at least to consider it as a risk factor for osteoporotic fracture.