Research Article

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis

Volume: 27 Number: 2 August 30, 2025
TR EN

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis

Abstract

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the follow-up and treatment processes of many chronic diseases, including osteoporosis. This study aimed to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements in patients diagnosed with osteoporosis were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess changes in follow-up and treatment protocols. Material and Methods: The study included 598 patients diagnosed with osteoporosis between December 1, 2018, and March 1, 2020. The duration of follow-up after the pandemic, femoral neck T-score and BMD value, lumbar vertebrae total (L1-4) T-score and BMD value, 25(OH)D levels, and medical treatments for osteoporosis were recorded retrospectively. Results: The mean duration of follow-up visits after the pandemic was nearly two years. 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher in the post-pandemic period than in the pre-pandemic period (p<0.001). Lumbar total T-scores and BMD values, femoral neck T-scores, and BMD values were higher in the pre-pandemic period (p<0.001 for all). There was a statistically significant increase in the frequency of denosumab use in the post-pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period in the treatment of osteoporosis (p<0.001). Conclusion: There is a delay in follow-up of patients, a decrease in BMD and T-scores, an increase in 25(OH)D levels, and an increase in treatment only with denosumab compared to the pre-pandemic period. It is essential to develop remote assessment methods for diagnosing and monitoring osteoporosis, particularly when accessing health services is challenging, and to make treatments as accessible as possible at home through patient education.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Sciences (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

July 31, 2025

Publication Date

August 30, 2025

Submission Date

January 13, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 1, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 27 Number: 2

APA
Surel, F., Şahingöz Bakırcı, E., & Demir Karakılıç, G. (2025). The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis. Duzce Medical Journal, 27(2), 184-188. https://doi.org/10.18678/dtfd.1616307
AMA
1.Surel F, Şahingöz Bakırcı E, Demir Karakılıç G. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis. Duzce Med J. 2025;27(2):184-188. doi:10.18678/dtfd.1616307
Chicago
Surel, Ferda, Esra Şahingöz Bakırcı, and Gülseren Demir Karakılıç. 2025. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis”. Duzce Medical Journal 27 (2): 184-88. https://doi.org/10.18678/dtfd.1616307.
EndNote
Surel F, Şahingöz Bakırcı E, Demir Karakılıç G (August 1, 2025) The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis. Duzce Medical Journal 27 2 184–188.
IEEE
[1]F. Surel, E. Şahingöz Bakırcı, and G. Demir Karakılıç, “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis”, Duzce Med J, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 184–188, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.18678/dtfd.1616307.
ISNAD
Surel, Ferda - Şahingöz Bakırcı, Esra - Demir Karakılıç, Gülseren. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis”. Duzce Medical Journal 27/2 (August 1, 2025): 184-188. https://doi.org/10.18678/dtfd.1616307.
JAMA
1.Surel F, Şahingöz Bakırcı E, Demir Karakılıç G. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis. Duzce Med J. 2025;27:184–188.
MLA
Surel, Ferda, et al. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis”. Duzce Medical Journal, vol. 27, no. 2, Aug. 2025, pp. 184-8, doi:10.18678/dtfd.1616307.
Vancouver
1.Ferda Surel, Esra Şahingöz Bakırcı, Gülseren Demir Karakılıç. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Osteoporosis. Duzce Med J. 2025 Aug. 1;27(2):184-8. doi:10.18678/dtfd.1616307