BANGALORE: Although there are over 30 million cases of osteoporosis in India, the condition remains largely under-diagnosed.

This is because most doctors attribute to old age fracture in those over 50, according to Osteoporosis Society of India. Many people do not realise that osteoporosis is a major problem that increases a person's risk to life, society members said.

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes thinning and weakening of bones that leads to their breaking even at minimum force. It is not a disease, and people do not develop it all of a sudden. The fracture of arms, legs, wrist and spine in a person suffering from osteoporosis will heal normally, but those with the condition are susceptible to suffer fractures more often.

There are no warning symptoms in the case of osteoporosis. In most cases, a fracture is the first indication of the problem. The most common diagnostic test for osteoporosis is a bone mineral densitometry, a non-invasive scan that measures bone density in the hip, wrist, heel or hand.

At present, serum beta crosslaps, which is done through a blood test and marks bone turnover, is also being used to diagnosis osteoporosis and detect response to treatments.

"The serum beta crosslaps test can provide information about therapy as early as three months after starting treatment whereas the bone density test can give results only after two years. The new test monitors treatments more effectively," says Vijay Bhat, chief biochemist at Manipal Hospital.

Mr. Bhat says the bone turnover test is better than the bio-density test because "although bone growth ceases in early adult life, cellular activity in the bone, known as bone remodelling, continues."

In addition to drug therapy, calcium and vitamin D supplements can also help," says Dr. P. Sridharan, rheumatologist.

The risk test

Have you broken a hip or a bone after a minor bump or fall? Have you lost more than 5 cm in height? Did you attain menopause before the age of 45? Do you regularly drink in excess of safe drinking limits?

Do you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day? Do you suffer frequently from diarrhoea?

If your answer is `yes' to any of the questions, you may be at a risk of osteoporosis, says the Osteoporosis Society of India.

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