|
Hip and Back Fractures Linked to Increased Risk of
Death
Reported August 10, 2009
(Ivanhoe Newswire) – A new study of 7,753 people in Canada aged 50
years and older has found that vertebral and hip fractures are associated
with an increased risk of death.
According to the study, approximately 25 percent of people who develop a hip
fracture and 16 percent who develop a spine fracture will die over a 5-year
period.
The 5-year study, part of the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study,
consisted of 2,187 men and 5,566 women from across Canada. The study group
is representative of the general population and participants were recruited
through telephone lists by postal code areas. Previous studies have included
only women, participants from specific geographic areas, patients with
osteoporosis or have looked at only one type of fracture.
Except for rib fractures, all types of fractures were more common in women
than in men. "Hip fractures may have long-lasting effects that result in
eventual death by signaling or actually inducing a progressive decline in
health," Dr. George Ioannidis and coauthors wrote in a press release. "Our
results also showed that vertebral fracture was an independent predictor of
death."
The authors conclude that interventions must be introduced to reduce the
likelihood of fractures, such as osteoporosis medications, fall prevention
strategies, hip protectors and enhanced rehabilitation after fracture to
improve mobility and strength.
In a related commentary, Dr. Karim Khan and Dr. Maureen Ashe of the Centre
for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver General Hospital and the University
of British Columbia write that cognitive impairment and dementia are major
risk factors for fall-related fractures, but patients with these conditions
are usually difficult to recruit and thus under-represented in cohort
studies. "If this was the case in this Canadian cohort (and it most likely
was), the mortality data may contain "healthy volunteer bias" and the
population mortality rates may be even higher than reported by Ioannidis and
colleagues."
SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), August 4, 2009 |
