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Relationship between spinal osteoarthritis and vertebral fractures in men older than 50 years: data from the Camargo Cohort Study

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Abstract

Spinal osteoarthritis has been suggested as a risk factor for vertebral fractures. However, results are conflicting: most of the data are focused on the lumbar region, and referred to postmenopausal women, whereas data for men are scarce. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between spinal osteoarthritis and vertebral fractures in men over 50 years of age. We conducted a cross-sectional study, nested in a prospective population-based cohort, including 507 community-dwelling men, 93 of them with at least one vertebral fracture. Vertebral fractures, osteophytosis, and disc space narrowing (DSN) were assessed by lateral thoracic and lumbar radiographs. Anthropometric, clinical, and densitometric variables were also analyzed. A multiple logistic regression model was performed. Eighty-five percent of vertebral fractures were located at the thoracic spine. Osteophytosis and DSN showed a bimodal distribution, with major frequency peaks at mid- and distal lumbar spine. The three distributions overlapped around the T9 vertebra. We did not find any relationship between lumbar osteoarthritis and vertebral fractures. Nevertheless, thoracic osteophytosis (OR, 1.84; 95 % CI, 1.05–3.17; p = 0.03) and DSN (OR, 2.52; 95 % CI, 1.43–4.46; p = 0.001) were found to be independently associated with prevalent vertebral fractures, after adjusting for confounders. Our results suggest a positive relationship between radiologic osteoarthritic changes at the thoracic spine and prevalent vertebral fractures in men more than 50 years of age. Osteoarthritis may act as a local risk factor, in addition to other mechanical factors, resulting in a greater propensity to fracture, especially at the mid-thoracic region.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. “Camargo-Interior” Primary Care Center, Servicio Cántabro de Salud, OSPC, Muriedas, Cantabria, Spain

    Emilio Pariente

  2. Bone Metabolism Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, IDIVAL, RETICEF, 39008, Santander, Cantabria, Spain

    José M. Olmos, Daniel Nan, Jesús González-Macías & José Luis Hernández

  3. Department of Radiology, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain

    Rosa Landeras

Authors
  1. Emilio Pariente
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  2. José M. Olmos
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  3. Rosa Landeras
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  4. Daniel Nan
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  5. Jesús González-Macías
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  6. José Luis Hernández
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to José Luis Hernández.

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All authors have no conflicts of interest regarding this paper.

Funding

Supported by grants from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FIS” (PI11/01092), and Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Envejecimiento y Fragilidad (RETICEF;RD06/0013/1007), “Instituto de Salud Carlos III,” and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Spain. FEDER financing susceptible funds.

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Pariente, E., Olmos, J.M., Landeras, R. et al. Relationship between spinal osteoarthritis and vertebral fractures in men older than 50 years: data from the Camargo Cohort Study. J Bone Miner Metab 35, 114–121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-016-0735-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-016-0735-1

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