Osteoporosis & Renal Disease: Research in Primary Health Care Services

Osteoporosis, a silent and multifactorial systemic skeletal disorder, severely compromises bone strength and significantly increases the risk of fragility fractures. Despite its high prevalence (affecting \~10% of Portuguese over 50), it remains critically underdiagnosed and undertreated, with over 80% of fragility fractures occurring in untreated individuals.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) profoundly exacerbates bone fragility, giving rise to CKD-associated osteoporosis, a complex skeletal disorder often integrated within CKD-Mineral and Bone Disorder. This systemic dysregulation of mineral metabolism not only impairs bone quality but also actively promotes vascular calcification and significantly elevates cardiovascular disease risk, underscoring a critical kidney-bone-vascular nexus. Despite these well-established links, CKD-associated osteoporosis is similarly underdiagnosed and undertreated, partly due to diagnostic challenges related to Bone Mineral Density interpretation and therapeutic hesitancy in this complex patient population.

This multi-phase observational study is designed to address the significant public health challenges posed by osteoporosis and by osteoporosis associated with CKD in Portugal, particularly among individuals aged 40 years to 90 years. The study aims to enhance understanding of disease prevalence, identify diagnostic and treatment gaps, and evaluate management trajectories, while emphasizing the intricate interrelationships among bone health, renal function, and cardiovascular risk.