Table 3.
Recommendations for timing of bone densitometry in follow-up
| Guideline | Mode | First test (if stated separately) | Intervals for repeat tests (if stated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | DXA | – |
≥ 2 years when considering efficacy of treatment, risk assessment or decision to change or interrupt treatment Every 1 year in patients at high risk |
| China (Orthopedic) | DXA | 1 year after starting treatment | – |
| China (CSOBMR) | Unspecified (bone density measurement) | 1 year after starting or changing treatment | Every 1–2 years when effect has stabilized |
| China (Geriatrics) | DXA or QCT (if available) | – |
Unspecified (Monitor efficacy) |
| Biochemical markers of bone turnover | – | Every 3–6 months | |
| Chinese Taipei | DXA |
2 years after starting treatment < 2 years after starting treatment in patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis |
– |
| Hong Kong SAR | BMD (not specified) |
1–2 years after starting treatment in patients treated with antiresorptive treatment 1 year after starting treatment in patients treated with bone-forming agents |
2–3 after therapeutic effect established |
| India (IMS) | DXA (use same DXA machine) | – | 2 years |
| India (ISBMR) | DXA (if available) | – | 2 years |
| Indonesia | BMD (not specified) | – | 1–2 to evaluate treatment response (defined as stable over 1 year) |
| Japan | BMD (not specified) | 1 year after starting treatment | > 1 year (unspecified)—after 1 year’s treatment with bisphosphonates, intervals longer than 1 year needed to see change in BMD |
| Malaysia | DXA | Not specified |
Not specified (Monitoring the effect of therapy) |
| New Zealand | BMD (not specified) | 4–5 years after starting treatment to determine whether bisphosphonates treatment should continue | ≥ 3 years (intervals < 3 years not recommended in most patients) |
| Singapore | DXA | 1–2 years after starting treatment to establish clinical effectiveness | Every 2–3 years after clinical effectiveness established |
| South Korea | DXA | – |
Every 1 year until normal BMD (T-score > − 1.0) 2 years after previous normal BMD |
| Thailand | DXA (Use same axial DXA analyzer) | – | > 1 year |
| Vietnam | Not specified | 1–2 years | 1–2 years |
BMD bone mineral density, DXA dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, QCT quantitative computed tomography