Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to characterize the features of fractures that occur in female patients with osteoporosis in the setting of a typical trauma hospital.
Methods
Observational study was conducted on 233 women aged 50 years and above reporting to a trauma center with a fracture. Fracture location, fracture classification and cause of fracture were obtained and compared with bone mineral status assessed by DXA at the spine.
Results
Our findings indicate that with increasing patient age, the majority of fractures occur after a minor traumatic event. In more than one-third of all fractures after minor trauma, the patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in patients older than 50 years with fractures was more than 30% and was increasing with age. Most strikingly, one-third of the patients have had a previous fracture at a location that should have triggered the assessment of bone health status, but only 25% of them had received any form of osteoporosis treatment.
Conclusion
For patients older than 50 years reporting to a trauma unit with a fracture, osteoporosis has a considerable prevalence. The large number of patients who have had a previous fracture emphasizes the necessity for an effective implementation of treatment algorithms for elderly patients with osteoporosis in the setting of a trauma hospital.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Vogel T, Kampmann P, Burklein D, Bohm H, Ockert B, Kirchhoff C, Kanz KG, Pfeifer KJ, Mutschler W (2008) Reality of treatment of osteoporotic fractures in German trauma departments. A contribution for outcome research. Unfallchirurg 111:869–877
Elliot-Gibson V, Bogoch ER, Jamal SA, Beaton DE (2004) Practice patterns in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis after a fragility fracture: a systematic review. Osteoporos Int 15:767–778
Hube R, Kafer W, Klima S, Hein W, Puhl W, Dreinhofer KE (2005) Osteoporosis—a neglected issue in orthopaedics? Results of a survey amongst German orthopaedic surgeons. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 143:520–528
Collinge C, LeBus G, Gardner MJ, Gehrig L (2008) Osteoporosis in orthopaedic trauma patients: a diagnosis and treatment protocol. J Orthop Trauma 22:541–547
Bagger YZ, Tanko LB, Alexandersen P, Hansen HB, Qin G, Christiansen C (2006) The long-term predictive value of bone mineral density measurements for fracture risk is independent of the site of measurement and the age at diagnosis: results from the prospective epidemiological risk factors study. Osteoporos Int 17:471–477
Marshall D, Johnell O, Wedel H (1996) Meta-analysis of how well measures of bone mineral density predict occurrence of osteoporotic fractures. BMJ 312:1254–1259
Vogel T, Dobler T, Bitterling H, Biberthaler P, Kanz KG, Pfeifer KJ, Bartl R, Mutschler W (2005) Osteoporosis in traumatology. Prevalence and management. Unfallchirurg 108:356–364
Castel H, Bonneh DY, Sherf M, Liel Y (2001) Awareness of osteoporosis and compliance with management guidelines in patients with newly diagnosed low-impact fractures 1. Osteoporos Int 12:559–564
Kurth AA, Pfeilschifter J (2007) Diagnosis, treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, osteoporosis in men. German Guidelines Update 2006. Orthopade 36:683–690
Kaufman JD, Bolander ME, Bunta AD, Edwards BJ, Fitzpatrick LA, Simonelli C (2003) Barriers and solutions to osteoporosis care in patients with a hip fracture. J Bone Joint Surg Am 85-A:1837–1843
Khan SA, de GC, Holroyd B, Russell AS (2001) Osteoporosis follow-up after wrist fractures following minor trauma. Arch Intern Med 161:1309–1312
Kanis JA, Johansson H, Oden A, McCloskey EV (2009) Assessment of fracture risk. Eur J Radiol 71:392–397
Klotzbuecher CM, Ross PD, Landsman PB, Abbott TA III, Berger M (2000) Patients with prior fractures have an increased risk of future fractures: a summary of the literature and statistical synthesis. J Bone Miner Res 15:721–739
Compston J (2005) Guidelines for the management of osteoporosis: the present and the future. Osteoporos Int 16:1173–1176
Rizzoli R, Bruyere O, Cannata-Andia JB, Devogelaer JP, Lyritis G, Ringe JD, Vellas B, Reginster JY (2009) Management of osteoporosis in the elderly. Curr Med Res Opin 25:2373–2387
Kamel HK, Hussain MS, Tariq S, Perry HM, Morley JE (2000) Failure to diagnose and treat osteoporosis in elderly patients hospitalized with hip fracture. Am J Med 109:326–328
Kern LM, Powe NR, Levine MA, Fitzpatrick AL, Harris TB, Robbins J, Fried LP (2005) Association between screening for osteoporosis and the incidence of hip fracture. Ann Intern Med 142:173–181
Looker AC, Orwoll ES, Johnston CC Jr, Lindsay RL, Wahner HW, Dunn WL, Calvo MS, Harris TB, Heyse SP (1997) Prevalence of low femoral bone density in older U.S. adults from NHANES III. J Bone Miner Res 12:1761–1768
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Ms. T. Hadersberger for the administration of the patient database.
Conflict of interest statement
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Augat, P., Weyand, D., Panzer, S. et al. Osteoporosis prevalence and fracture characteristics in elderly female patients with fractures. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 130, 1405–1410 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-010-1142-z
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-010-1142-z