Osteoporosis International

, Volume 23, Issue 12, pp 2797–2803 | Cite as

Burden of pelvis fracture: a population-based study of incidence, hospitalisation and mortality

  • D. Prieto-Alhambra
  • F. F. Avilés
  • A. Judge
  • T. Van Staa
  • X. Nogués
  • N. K. Arden
  • A. Díez-Pérez
  • C. Cooper
  • M. K. Javaid
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Summary

The objective of this study was to describe the incidence and consequences of pelvic fractures in a community cohort. The incidence of pelvic fractures increases with age with a protective effect of higher body mass index. Almost 60% of those with a pelvic fracture required an inpatient stay, with a median of 9 days. There was a higher 3-year mortality in those admitted (17%) vs. those not admitted (6.3%). Given the substantial health burden, further work is required to identify the optimal post-fracture therapeutic strategy to improve outcomes.

Introduction

The burden of pelvis fractures is projected to increase, but there is a paucity of community-based studies describing rates, mortality and future fracture risk. We therefore estimated the age, gender and BMI-specific incidence of pelvis fracture in Catalonia (North-East Spain), and assessed hospital stay and mortality following fracture.

Methods

The SIDIAPQ database contains validated clinical information from computerised medical records of a representative sample of 30% of the population of Catalonia. We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all subjects aged ≥40 in SIDIAPQ and linked to the regional Hospital Admissions Database from 2007 to 2009. Pelvis fractures were ascertained using ICD-10 codes. Incidence and mortality rates were calculated.

Results

A total of 1,118,173 patients (582,820 women) were observed for 3 years and 1,356 had a pelvic fracture. The rate for pelvic fracture was 4.35/10,000 person-years (pyar) [95% CI 4.13–4.59] (men—2.73 [2.48–3.01]; women—5.82 [5.46–6.20]). This increased with age, peaking in those over 90 years: 29.41 [25.74–33.59]. Higher BMI was protective (HR 0.75 per SD BMI; [0.69–0.82]). Moreover, 59.1% of fractured patients were hospitalised with a median (IQR) stay of 9 (5–16) days, and after the 3-year follow-up 13.9% died (mortality rate 10.7/100 pyar [9.3–12.3]) with higher rates in those hospitalised (17.0%).

Conclusions

Pelvic fractures are associated with high rates of hospitalisation and mortality. Given this, further work is required to identify the optimal post-fracture therapeutic strategy to improve outcomes in this elderly patient group.

Keywords

Bone Epidemiology Fractures Mortality Osteoporosis Pelvis 
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Notes

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Copyright information

© International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • D. Prieto-Alhambra
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
  • F. F. Avilés
    • 2
  • A. Judge
    • 1
  • T. Van Staa
    • 5
    • 6
  • X. Nogués
    • 3
    • 4
  • N. K. Arden
    • 1
  • A. Díez-Pérez
    • 3
    • 4
  • C. Cooper
    • 1
    • 7
  • M. K. Javaid
    • 1
  1. 1.Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal SciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
  2. 2.Institut Català de la Salut—IDIAP Jordi Gol i GurinaBarcelonaSpain
  3. 3.URFOA–IMIM, Internal Medicine Department (Parc de Salut Mar) and RETICEF (Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER)BarcelonaSpain
  4. 4.Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
  5. 5.General Practice Research Database, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory AgencyLondonUK
  6. 6.Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
  7. 7.MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology UnitUniversity of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthamptonUK

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