Osteoporosis (synonyms: lumbar spine osteoporosis; osteoporosis of the lumbar spine; osteoporosis of the spine; WS osteoporosis; ICD-10-GM M81.98: Osteoporosis, unspecified: Other [neck, head, ribs, trunk, skull, spine]) is colloquially referred to as bone loss. It is a systemic skeletal disease. It is characterized by a decrease in bone mass and deterioration of the microarchitecture of bone tissue, with consequent reduced strength and increased risk of fracture.
At least 400,000 fractures occur each year due to osteoporosis in Germany. Most of these are fractures of the spine or hip.
For forms of osteoporosis, see “Classification” below.
Sex ratio: Men to women is 1: 2.
Frequency peak: The disease occurs predominantly in old people (> 70 years) and women after menopause (menopause).
The prevalence (disease incidence) is 12 % in the age group of 50 to 79 years. In Germany, approximately 9 million people are affected.
Course and prognosis: In the spine, osteoporosis leads to static changes due to deformation, which are often accompanied by chronic pain. The most common form of complication of osteoporosis is vertebral body fracture (vertebral fracture), which causes the affected vertebrae to lose height and the height of the sufferer to decrease. After the first fracture, the risk of further vertebral fractures increases more than fivefold. The physical performance is reduced and the quality of life of the affected person decreases. A major goal of therapy is freedom from pain.
