How clues in our genes could help prevent osteoporotic fracture.
In a world first, new Australian research has revealed that genetic profiling can help predict whether an individual will break a bone through osteoporosis. The findings, which arise from Australia's globally-recognised Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, are likely to contribute to clinical decision-making in future, bringing us one step closer to personalised medicine for bone disease.
Osteoporosis - brittle, weakened bones - affects 1.2 million Australians and causes more than 150,000 fractures per year in Australia. Osteoporosis and associated fractures represent a major national public health problem, costing the health system billions of dollars per year (total cost estimated at $33.6 billion for 2012-2022) - and with the demographic tsunami of aging upon us, the scale of Australia's osteoporosis problem will continue to rise.
