Genes linked to bone breaks in black patients with bone loss

Osteoporosis is bone loss that causes the bones to be weaker. This makes bones more likely to break. It is most common in older women. The condition leads to broken bones, or fractures, in nearly half of all older women. Osteoporosis may affect some ethnic groups more than others. Studies have found several genes linked to the condition. But most of these studies have focused on white people. This project will look for gene changes linked to osteoporosis in black patients. They will study whether patients with these gene changes are more likely to have bone fractures. They will also try to confirm the genes linked to osteoporosis found by the other studies. The findings may help explain why some ethnic groups are more likely to get bone fractures. This may also help us find ways to prevent these serious injuries.