A retrospective analysis of bone scans in ageing Jordanian populations: Osteoporosis prevalence and risk factors

The worldwide health concern of osteoporosis is increasing. This syndrome worsens bone deterioration and shattering. How HPV spreads in Western countries are well understood, but its prevalence in Jordan and what factors make certain age groups more vulnerable are not. Middle Easterners feel the risk is minor, and there is little large-scale study. This may have hampered diagnosis and treatment. This study examined the bone health of northern Jordanians with a clinical suspicion of osteoporosis to fill this important gap. 

A retrospective study employed BMD T-scores from Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans to evaluate osteoporosis prevalence in older Jordanians. Second, identify and assess the most important demographic and clinical risk factors for osteoporosis in this cohort.

Historical cross-sectional study was conducted on 612 Jordanian patients aged 50 and older who got DXA scans at the Internal Medicine Clinic of Prince Rashid bin Al-Hasan Military Hospital, Irbid, between September 2023 and November 2024 BMD T-scores from the lumbar spine and femoral neck, age, gender, and clinical risk variables (BMI, smoking status, fragility fracture history, corticosteroid use, and comorbidities) were collected. The WHO classified osteoporosis as -2 T-score. For unrelated risk factors, descriptive statistics, t-tests, Chi-square, and multivariate binary logistic regression were used. With 95% CI, adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were shown. 

Results: The cohort averaged 67.4 ± 8.1 years old, with 78.4% female. Overall, 41.2% (n=252) had osteoporosis and 38.7% (n=237) osteopenia. Women (48.1%) outnumbered men (21.2%), and the incidence rose with age, from 18.5% of 50-59-year-olds to 65.8% of 80-year-olds. Significant associations were discovered between osteoporosis and characteristics such age, gender, decreased BMI, prior fractures, and corticosteroid usage (p<0.001). A multivariate logistic regression model found four independent predictors: women (AOR=3.41, 95% CI: 2.15–5.41), over 70 years old (AOR=2.89, 95% CI: 1.98–4.22), low BMI (<25 kg/m²) (AOR=2.55, 95% CI: 1.75–3.72), and prior fragility fracture (AOR=2.10, 95% CI: Corticosteroids did not influence modified model. 

This study indicated that a shocking number of older Jordanians suspected of the illness had osteoporosis. In this category, being a woman, older, low BMI, and fractured are the most independent risk factors. These results suggest that Jordan needs rapid clinical monitoring, focused screening for high-risk populations, and comprehensive national preventive initiatives to limit the human and economic costs of osteoporotic fractures.