ASSOCIATION OF VERTEBRAL FRACTURES AND HIP FRACTURES IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOPOROSIS

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis is quite common disease among aged in India. Studies indicate that vertebral fractures are probably the most common fragility fractures and that they are often followed by a second fracture. This study was planned to assess relationship between a hip fracture and vertebral fracture among patients with osteoporosis.

Methods: In this study, 77 patients above 50 year of age with osteoporosis-related hip fractures were investigated for the presence of a vertebral fracture. Thoraco-lumber X-rays were carried out to find out vertebral fracture. Patients with a history of significant trauma to the spine and those with a malignancy or connective tissue disorder were excluded from the analysis.

Results: Out of 77 patients with hip fractures, 39 had a fracture of the femoral neck while 38 had an intertrochanteric hip fracture. Of the 56 patients who were finally included in the study, after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 38 patients with an average age of 66.38 ± 10 years had no fractures of the spine. Eighteen patients with an average age of 77.8 ± 12.6 years (31.53%) had a total of 25 vertebral fractures. Patients with vertebral fractures were significantly older than those without fractures (p<0.001). Overall, 24.7% of these patients had an asymptomatic vertebral fracture.

Conclusion: It is recommended that all elderly patients who go to the radiology department for a chest X-ray also have a lateral thoracic and lumber spine radiograph.