[Epidemiology of bone and joint disease - the present and future - . Molecular epidemiology of osteoporosis].

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue. Osteoporosis increases susceptibility to fracture. Over the last 10 years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with low BMD, osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. These SNPs were mapped close to or within the genes, such as Wnt- and RANKL-related genes. In the future, molecular epidemiology of osteoporosis may provide novel candidates for therapeutic targets.