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Risk factors for Colles' fracture in men and women: results from the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study

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An Erratum to this article was published on 11 August 2004

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of constitutional and lifestyle variables on the subsequent risk of distal forearm (Colles') fracture in a multinational, multicenter, population-prospective study. A total of 15,745 subjects from the European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study, who had completed a baseline questionnaire on lifestyle and constitutional factors, were followed up annually using a validated questionnaire to ascertain the occurrence of new fractures. Risks are expressed as hazard ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) derived from a Cox proportional hazards regression model. The incidence of Colles' fracture was 1.7 and 7.3 per 1000 person years in men and women, respectively. In women delayed menarche, over the age of 15 years, was associated with a modest increased risk [HR 1.5 (range 1.1–2.0)]. Regular walking in that group also increased the risk [HR 1.6 (1.2–2.2)] perhaps reflecting the increased exposure to risk of falling. None of the other factors examined revealed any important influences. The results are broadly in line with the few other published prospective studies suggesting only a modest role for these factors in influencing susceptibility to fracture.

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Acknowledgements

Project leaders of the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study Group are as follows: J. Reeve, A.J. Silman. Data Management: T.W. O'Neill, J.D. Finn, S.R. Pye, W.C. Cockerill, A.A. Ismail, D.K. Roy. Participants: D. Banzer, Berlin, Germany; L.I. Benevolenskaya, Moscow, Russia; A. Bhalla, Bath, U.K.; J. Bruges Armas, Azores, Portugal; J.B. Cannata, Oviedo, Spain; P. Delmas, Lyon, France; G. Dilsen, Istanbul, Turkey; J. Dequeker, Leuven, Belgium; J. Falch, Oslo, Norway; B. Felsch, Jena, Germany; D. Felsenberg, Berlin, Germany; C. Gennari, Siena, Italy; K. Hoszowski, Warsaw, Poland; I. Jajic, Zagreb, Croatia; J. Janot, Bochum, Germany; O. Johnell, Malmo, Sweden; G. Kragl, Erfurt, Germany; A. Lopez Vaz, Oporto, Portugal; R. Lorenc, Warsaw, Poland; G. Lyritis, Athens, Greece; F. Marchand, Lyon, France; P. Masaryk, Piestany, Slovakia; C. Matthis, Lubeck, Germany; T. Miazgowski, Szczecin, Poland; M. Navez Diaz, Oviedo, Spain; H.A.P. Pols, Rotterdam, Netherlands; G. Poor, Budapest, Hungary; A. Rapado, Madrid, Spain; H.H. Raspe, Lubeck, Germany; D.M. Reid, Aberdeen, U.K.; J. Reeve, Harrow, U.K.; W. Reisinger, Berlin, Germany; C. Scheidt-Nave, Heidelberg, Germany; J. Stepan, Prague, Czech Republic; C. Todd, Cambridge, U.K.; K. Weber, Graz, Austria; A.D. Woolf, Truro, U.K. This report was prepared on behalf of the group by: S.R. Pye, T.W. O'Neill, M. Lunt, J.A. Kanis, C. Cooper, O. Johnell, J. Reeve, and A.J. Silman. The study was financially supported by a European Union Concerted Action Grant under BIOMED 1 (BMH1CT920182), and also EU grants C1PDCT925102, ERBC1PDCT 930105 and 940229. The central coordination was also supported by the UK Arthritis Research Campaign, the Medical Research Council (G9321536) and the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and Bone Disease. The EU's PECO program linked to BIOMED 1 funded in part the participation of the Budapest, Warsaw, Prague, Piestany, Szczecin, and Moscow centers. Data collection from Croatia was supported by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

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  1. ARC Epidemiology Unit, Manchester University Medical School, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK

    A. J. Silman

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Correspondence to A. J. Silman.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00198-004-1706-2.

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Silman, A.J. Risk factors for Colles' fracture in men and women: results from the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study. Osteoporos Int 14, 213–218 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-002-1364-1

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