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Declining incidence of hip fractures and the extent of use of anti-osteoporotic therapy in Denmark 1997–2006

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Abstract

Summary

The incidence of hip fractures in Denmark declined by about 20% from 1997 to 2006 in both men and women aged 60 and over. The decrease in hip fracture rates was much too large to be explained by the extent of anti-osteoporotic medication used in the country.

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to clarify (1) if hip fracture rates decline in Denmark despite low treatment rates and (2) if changes in age-specific rates could be explained by anti-osteoporotic medications.

Methods

National registers were used to obtain incidence rates for hip fractures in men and women aged 60+ and aggregated national data on number of users of anti-osteoporotic medications for 1997–2006. The potential contribution of anti-osteoporotic treatment to prevented hip fractures was estimated.

Results

Incidence rates declined by 20% in men and 22% in women. Use of specific anti-osteoporotic medications had increased from 1.8% in 60+-year-old women and 0.2% in 60+-year-old men to 7.3% and 1.3%, respectively. The decrease risk in men was nearly the same as in women, despite a six times lower treatment prevalence. The number of prevented hip fractures that could be attributed to therapy was 1.3% in men and 3.7% in women.

Conclusions

The decrease in hip fractures is much too large to be explained by the extent of anti-osteoporotic medication. Interestingly, the decrease in fracture rates also applied to men, despite much lower treatment rates. Potential explanations include smoking habits, obesity, national home visit programmes, improved general health and vitamin D supplementation.

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Conflicts of interest

Dr. Abrahamsen receives consulting fees from Novartis, serves on advisory boards for Amgen and Nycomed and receives lecture fees from Eli Lilly and Procter & Gamble. This analysis received no financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Niels Andersensvej 65, Hellerup, 2900, Denmark

    B. Abrahamsen

  2. Institute of Clinical Research, Odense Patient Data Exploratory Network (OPEN), University of Southern Denmark, Winslowparken 16, 3, Odense C, 5000, Denmark

    B. Abrahamsen

  3. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism C, Aarhus Amtssygehus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark

    P. Vestergaard

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  1. B. Abrahamsen
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Correspondence to B. Abrahamsen.

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Abrahamsen, B., Vestergaard, P. Declining incidence of hip fractures and the extent of use of anti-osteoporotic therapy in Denmark 1997–2006. Osteoporos Int 21, 373–380 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-009-0957-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-009-0957-3

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