Osteoporosis is a genetic and hereditary disease, which means that people who have a first-degree relative should get screened.
- Osteoporosis is a hereditary and genetic disease.
- If a first-degree relative has a history of osteoporosis, it is advisable to have a bone densitometry done to screen for the disease.
- Women are more affected by osteoporosis than men.
“If we have a patient [qui nous dit] my mother had a hip fracture, we know that she herself has a risk of hip fracture which is increased by 50%explains Professor Bernard Cortet, rheumatologist at Lille University Hospital. Throughout the growth period, we acquire our maximum height and, at the same time, we acquire our maximum level of bone density, what is called peak bone mass. It turns out that this peak in bone mass is caused by hereditary and/or genetic factors to the extent of approximately 80%. However, in the majority of situations, there is no osteoporosis gene.”
Osteoporosis: a genetic and hereditary disease
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that involves both a decrease in bone density and mass. Patients with it have more fragile bones, which increases the risk of fractures.
According to health insurancethe primary cause of osteoporosis is aging but there is a “genetic predisposition with the existence of cases of osteoporosis in the family which must be taken into account”.
“Heredity is quite general, it’s family history, explains Professor Bernard Cortet. Genetics are really the genes that are involved in the genesis of osteoporosis. So there are a number of genetic bone diseases, such as osteoporosis imperfecta, where we know that there are abnormalities of the gene or genes.” Osteoporosis is therefore a disease that is both hereditary and genetic.
Get screened for osteoporosis if there is a family history
Often, before the first fracture, osteoporosis is a silent disease, meaning it does not show clinical signs and is not painful. When there is a family history, it is advisable to get tested.
“Bone densitometry [un examen qui permet de mesurer la densité osseuse] is a screening tool which is reimbursed under certain conditions, assures Professor Bernard Cortet. A history of a hip fracture in a first-degree relative entitles you to reimbursement for bone densitometry. In these conditions, it is absolutely necessary to measure bone density which, depending on the result, may or may not lead to the implementation of anti-osteoporotic treatment. But there will be at least support in terms of lifestyle, food, physical activity, etc.”
Women are more affected than men by osteoporosis. Moreover, menopause is a contributing factor, especially if it occurs early, that is to say before the age of 40.
“When we are faced with osteoporosis in young people (…) we are increasingly required to work with our geneticist colleagues who will request the search for genetic anomalies on a panel of genes, underlines Professor Bernard Cortet. This will not always have an impact in terms of therapeutic care, but a certain number of patients who are asking for explanations as to why they are 30 years old and have extremely severe osteoporosis.”
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