RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine de sensitivity and specificity of a questionnaire of osteoporosis risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 1,088 files of postmenopausal women, osteoporosis risk factors such as age, time since menopause, former hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use, current use of HRT, former and current HRT use, fractures after 45 years age, actual weight, corticosteroid use and hyperthyroidism were analyzed, giving them different punctuation. Every punctuation was added in each patient. In all of them a dual emission X ray (DEXA) absorptiometry was done from lumbar column and hip (femoral neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle). Odds ratio, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for every one of the variables and DEXA T score as well as Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Odds ratio increased as the punctuation of the questionnaire increased. With four points in the questionnaire the PPV was 41%, the NPV 86%, the sensitivity 16% and the specificity 96%. A significant negative correlation was found between age, time since menopause, current use of HRT, former and current use of HRT and column and hip T scores, and with the punctuation for all the regions. A positive correlation was found between former fracture and column and femoral neck T scores, and with actual weight in all regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the questionnaire can be a useful instrument to identify patients at high risk of osteoporosis.