Prevalence of osteoporosis in older male veterans receiving hip-containing computed tomography scans: opportunistic use of biomechanical computed tomography analysis (BCT).

Osteoporosis care in men is suboptimal due to low rates of testing and treatment. Applying biomechanical computed tomography (BCT) analysis to existing CT scans, we found a high proportion of men with osteoporosis have never been diagnosed or treated. BCT may improve identification of patients at high risk of fracture. PURPOSE: Osteoporosis care in men is suboptimal due to low rates of DXA testing and treatment. Biomechanical computed tomography analysis (BCT) can be applied "opportunistically" to prior hip-containing CT scans to measure femoral bone strength and hip BMD. METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, we used BCT in male veterans with existing CT scans to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis, defined by hip BMD (T-score ≤ - 2.5) or fragile bone strength (≤ 3500 N). 577 men, age ≥ 65 with abdominal/pelvic CTs performed in 2017-2019, were randomly selected for BCT analysis. Clinical data were collected via electronic health records and used with the femoral neck BMD T-score from BCT to estimate 10-year hip fracture risks by FRAX. RESULTS: Prevalence of osteoporosis by BCT increased with age (13.5% age 65-74; 18.2% age 75-84; 34.3% age ≥ 85), with an estimated overall prevalence of 18.3% for men age ≥ 65. In those with osteoporosis (n = 108/577), only 38.0% (41/108) had a prior DXA and 18.6% (7/108) had received osteoporosis pharmacotherapy. Elevated hip fracture risk by FRAX (≥ 3%) did not fully capture those with fragile bone strength. In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for age, BMI, race, and CT location, end stage renal disease (odds ratio 7.4; 95% confidence interval 2.3-23.9), COPD (2.2; 1.2-4.0), and high-dose inhaled corticosteroid use (3.7; 1.2-11.8) were associated with increased odds of having osteoporosis by BCT. CONCLUSION: Opportunistic BCT in male veterans provides an additional avenue to identify patients who are at high risk of fractures.

Profile and 3-month evolution of geriatric patients after a hip fracture followed-up at a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS).

INTRODUCTION: There are few studies on Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) that evaluate older patients after a hip fracture (HF) through comprehensive geriatric assessment. We aim to determine these patients' characteristics, outcomes, and prescribed treatments. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of a cohort of patients older than 65 years admitted with HFs to an orthogeriatric unit between February 25th (2013) and December 16th (2016). After hospitalization, those patients with a good baseline social, functional, and cognitive situation were referred to the FLS. A comprehensive geriatric assessment and treatment adjustment were conducted. A comparison between FLS patients and HF patients non-referred was made. RESULTS: From 1887 patients admitted to the orthogeriatric unit, 469 (23%) were referred to the FLS. Of those, 335 were women (77.2%) and 337 (77.6%) lived in the community. The FLS patients had a better functional status (97.1% of the patients with independent gait versus 79.2%) than non-FLS patients (p<0.001). After 3 months in the FLS, 356 (82%) patients had independent gait and had improved their analytical values. Antiosteoporotic treatment was prescribed to 322 patients (74%), vitamin D supplements to 397 (91.5%), calcium to 321 (74%), and physical exercise to 421 (97%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients referred to an FLS were younger, with a better functional and cognitive situation. At hospital discharge, they frequently presented gait impairment and laboratory abnormalities (anemia, hypoproteinemia, vitamin D deficiency) that presented good recovery due to the patient's previous baseline. These patients benefit from comprehensive treatment (pharmacological and non-pharmacological).

The association of coffee consumption with the risk of osteoporosis and fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To elucidate the association of coffee and bone health would help fracture risk reduction via dietary intervention. Although those who had higher coffee consumption were less likely to have osteoporosis, the associations between coffee consumption and fracture risk need further investigations with better study designs. INTRODUCTION: The associations between coffee consumption and the risk of osteoporosis and fracture remain inconclusive. We aimed to better quantify these associations by conducting meta-analyses of observational studies. METHODS: Relevant studies were systematically searched on PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and Embase Database up to November 25, 2021. The odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was pooled and a dose-response analysis was performed. RESULTS: Four studies with 7114 participants for osteoporosis and thirteen studies with 391,956 participants for fracture incidence were included in the meta-analyses. High versus low coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis [pooled OR (95% CI): 0.79 (0.65-0.92)], while it was non-significantly associated with fracture incidence [pooled OR (95% CI): 0.86 (0.67-1.05) at hip and 0.89 (0.42-1.36) at non-hip]. A non-linear association between the level of coffee consumption and hip fracture incidence was shown (P = 0.004). The pooled RR (95% CI) of hip fracture risk in those who consumed 1, 2-3, 4, and ≥ 9 cups of coffee per day was 0.92 (0.87-0.97), 0.89 (0.83-0.95), 0.91 (0.85-0.98), and 1.10 (0.76-1.59), respectively. The significance in the association between coffee consumption and the hip fracture incidence decreased in those studies that had larger sample size, higher quality, and more adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: A dose-dependent relationship may exist between coffee consumption and hip fracture incidence. The effect of high versus low coffee consumption was influenced by study designs. Further studies with dedicated designs are needed to confirm the independent effects of coffee consumption on bone health.

Potentially Harmful Medication Dispenses After a Fall or Hip Fracture: A Mixed Methods Study of a Commonly Used Quality Measure.

BACKGROUND: High-risk medication dispenses to patients with a prior fall or hip fracture represent a potentially dangerous disease-drug interaction among older adults. The research team quantified the prevalence, identified risk factors, and generated patient and provider insights into high-risk medication dispenses in a large, community-based integrated health system using a commonly used quality measure. METHODS: This was a mixed methods study with a convergent design combining a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR) data, individual interviews of primary care physicians, and a focus group of patient advisors. RESULTS: Of 113,809 patients ≥ 65 years with a fall/fracture in 2009-2015, 35.4% had a potentially harmful medication dispensed after their fall/fracture. Most medications were prescribed by primary care providers. Older age, male gender, and race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic White were associated with a reduced risk of high-risk medication dispenses. Patients with a pre-fall/fracture medication dispense were substantially more likely to have a post-fall/fracture medication dispense (hazard ratio [HR] = 13.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.91-13.61). Both patients and providers noted that providers may be unaware of patient falls due to inconsistent assessments and patient reluctance to disclose falls. Providers also noted the lack of a standard location to document falls and limited decision support alerts within the EHR. CONCLUSION: High-risk medication dispenses are common among older patients with a history of falls/fractures. Future interventions should explore improved assessment and documentation of falls, decision support, clinician training strategies, patient educational resources, building trusting patient-clinician relationships to facilitate long-term medication discontinuation among persistent medication users, and a focus on fall prevention.

Acute exacerbation of COPD increases the risk of hip fractures: a nested case-control study from the Korea National Health Insurance Service.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hip fracture and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) could increase mortality in patients with COPD. There are no data on the relationship between AE-COPD and hip fracture, which may significantly affect the prognosis of patients with COPD. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine the effects of AE-COPD on hip fractures in patients with COPD. METHODS: This retrospective, nested, case-control study included 253,471 patients with COPD (≥ 40 years of age) identified from the Korea National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) from 2002 to 2015. Among 176,598 patients with COPD, 1,415 patients with hip fractures were identified. Each case was matched to one control for age (within 10 years), sex, and year of COPD diagnosis. We estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hip fractures associated with AE-COPD using conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting for underlying diseases and smoking history. RESULTS: In patients with AE-COPD, the risk of hip fracture was 2.50 times higher, regardless of systemic corticosteroid use and underlying disease (aOR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.67 to 3.75). The risk of hip fracture increased if there was one episode of AE in the year before hip fractures (aOR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.66 to 3.05). Moreover, the risk of hip fracture also increased in patients with more than two episodes of AE the year before hip fractures (aOR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.61 to 4.10). CONCLUSION: AE-COPD increases the risk of hip fracture regardless of underlying diseases, including osteoporosis, and treatment with systemic corticosteroids.

Outcomes post fragility fracture among members of an integrated healthcare organization.

This study highlights an unmet need in osteoporosis management, suggesting that beyond bone mineral density and fracture history, gender, fracture type, and age should be considered for fracture risk assessment. Following fragility fracture, men, patients with a spine or hip fracture, and those aged ≥ 65 have a higher disease burden. INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to characterize osteoporosis-related fracture incidence and identify predictors of subsequent fractures and mortality. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study, conducted within Kaiser Permanente Southern California, included patients aged ≥ 50 years with qualifying fractures from 1/1/2007 to 12/31/2016, identified from diagnosis/procedure codes. Rates for fracture incidence, mortality, and resource utilization in the year post-fracture are reported. Associations between index fracture types and demographic/clinical characteristics, and mortality, subsequent fracture, and rehospitalization outcomes were estimated. RESULTS: Of 63,755 eligible patients, 66.7% were ≥ 65 years and 69.1% female. Index fractures included nonhip/nonspine (64.4%), hip (25.3%), and spine (10.3%). Age-adjusted subsequent fracture rate/100 person-years was higher for those with an index spine (14.5) versus hip fracture (6.3). Hospitalization rate/100 person-years was highest for patients ≥ 65 (31.8) and for spine fractures (43.5). Men (vs women) had higher age-adjusted rates of hospitalization (19.4; 17.7), emergency room visits (73.8; 66.3), and use of rehabilitation services (31.7; 27.2). The 30-day age-adjusted mortality rate/100 person-years was 46.7, 32.4, and 15.5 for spine, hip, and nonspine/nonhip fractures. The 1-year age-adjusted mortality rate/100 person-years was 14.7 for spine and 15.6 for hip fractures. In multivariable analyses, spine and hip fractures (vs nonhip/nonspine fractures) were significant predictors of 1-year mortality, all-cause and osteoporosis-related hospitalization, and nursing home use (all P-values < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Morbidity is high in the year following a fragility fracture and men, patients with a spine or hip fracture, and those aged ≥ 65 have a greater disease burden.

Serum non-esterified fatty acid levels and hip fracture risk: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Among elderly participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we found that non-esterified trans fatty acid levels had a significant prospective association with hip fracture risk. Other non-esterified fatty acid classes were not associated with hip fracture risk. INTRODUCTION: Serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are bioactive metabolic intermediates that can be taken up by bone tissue. Their associations with hip fracture risk have not been previously examined. METHODS: Thirty-five individual NEFAs in five classes (saturated [SFA], mono-un-saturated [MUFA], poly-unsaturated n-6 and n-3 [PUFA], and trans-FA) were measured in Cardiovascular Health Study participants (n = 2139, mean age 77.8 years) without known diabetes. The multivariable associations of NEFA levels with hip fracture risk were evaluated in Cox hazards models. RESULTS: We documented 303 incident hip fractures during 11.1 years of follow-up. Among the five NEFA classes, total trans FA levels were positively associated with higher hip fracture risk (HR 1.17 [95% CI, 1.04, 1.31; p = 0.01] per one standard deviation higher level). The SFA lignoceric acid (24:0) was positively associated with higher risk (HR 1.09 [1.04, 1.1]; p < 0.001), while behenic (22:0) and docosatetraenoic (22:4 n6) acids were associated with lower risk (HR 0.76 [0.61, 0.94]; p = 0.01; 0.84 [0.70, 1.00]; p = 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Total plasma trans NEFA levels are related to hip fracture risk, suggesting an unrecognized benefit of their systematic removal from food. Novel associations of individual NEFAs with hip fracture risk require confirmation in other cohort studies.

Hospitalisations for falls and hip fractures attributable to vitamin D deficiency in older Australians.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures. Assuming this association is causal, we aimed to identify the number and proportion of hospitalisations for falls and hip fractures attributable to vitamin D deficiency (25 hydroxy D (25(OH)D) <50 nmol/l) in Australians aged ≥65 years. We used 25(OH)D data from the 2011/12 Australian Health Survey and relative risks from published meta-analyses to calculate population-attributable fractions for falls and hip fracture. We applied these to data published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to calculate the number of events each year attributable to vitamin D deficiency. In men and women combined, 8·3 % of hospitalisations for falls (7991 events) and almost 8 % of hospitalisations for hip fractures (1315 events) were attributable to vitamin D deficiency. These findings suggest that, even in a sunny country such as Australia, vitamin D deficiency contributes to a considerable number of hospitalisations as a consequence of falls and for treatment of hip fracture in older Australians; in countries where the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is higher, the impact will be even greater. It is important to mitigate vitamin D deficiency, but whether this should occur through supplementation or increased sun exposure needs consideration of the benefits, harms, practicalities and costs of both approaches.

IQ driving QI: the Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO): an innovative and collaborative initiative to improve osteoporosis care in the Asia Pacific.

Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO) comprises of clinical experts from across the Asia Pacific region, uniting to develop solutions to problems facing osteoporosis management and care. The vision of APCO is to reduce the burden of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in the Asia Pacific region. INTRODUCTION: The Asia Pacific (AP) region comprises 71 countries with vastly different healthcare systems. It is predicted that by 2050, more than half the world's hip fractures will occur in this region. The Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO) was set up in May 2019 with the vision of reducing the burden of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in the AP region. METHODS: APCO has so far brought together 39 clinical experts from countries and regions across the AP to develop solutions to challenges facing osteoporosis management and fracture prevention in this highly populous region of the world. APCO aims to achieve its vision by engaging with relevant stakeholders including healthcare providers, policy makers and the public. The initial APCO project is to develop and implement a Framework of pan-AP minimum clinical standards for the screening, diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The Framework will serve as a platform upon which new national clinical guidelines can be developed or existing guidelines be revised, in a standardised fashion. The Framework will also facilitate benchmarking for provision of quality of care. It is hoped that the principles underlying the formation and functioning of APCO can be adopted by other regions and that every health care facility and progressively every country in the world can follow our aspirational path and progress towards best practice.

Association of orthogeriatric care models with evaluation and treatment of osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis found low-quality evidence that orthogeriatric care is positively associated with diagnosis of osteoporosis, prescription of calcium and vitamin D supplements and bisphosphonates in older hip fracture patients. Evidence on fall and fracture prevention was scarce and inconclusive. Orthogeriatrics may reduce the treatment gap following hip fractures. INTRODUCTION: Hip fracture patients are at imminent risk of additional fractures and falls. Orthogeriatric care might reduce the osteoporosis treatment gap and improve outcomes in these patients. However, the optimal orthogeriatric care model (geriatric liaison service, co-management, or geriatrician-led care) remains unclear. PURPOSE: To summarize the association of different orthogeriatric care models for older hip fracture patients, compared to usual orthopaedic care, with fall prevention measures, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and future falls and fractures. METHODS: Two independent reviewers retrieved randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or controlled observational studies. Random effects meta-analysis was applied (PROSPERO ID: 165914). RESULTS: One RCT and twelve controlled observational studies were included, encompassing 20,078 participants (68% women, median ages between 75 and 85 years). Orthogeriatric care was associated with higher odds of diagnosing osteoporosis (odds ratio [OR] 11.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.26-17.77), initiation of calcium and vitamin D supplements (OR 41.44; 95% CI 7.07-242.91) and discharge on anti-osteoporosis medication (OR 7.06; 95% CI 2.87-17.34). However, there was substantial heterogeneity in these findings. Evidence on fall prevention and subsequent fractures was scarce and inconclusive. Almost all studies were at high risk of bias. Evidence was insufficient to compare different care models directly against each other. CONCLUSIONS: Low-quality evidence suggests that orthogeriatric care is associated with higher rates of diagnosing osteoporosis, initiation of calcium and vitamin D supplements and anti-osteoporosis medication. Whether orthogeriatric care prevents subsequent falls and fractures in older hip fracture patients remains unclear.

Advanced 2D image processing technique to predict hip fracture risk in an older population based on single DXA scans.

A new technique to enhance hip fracture risk prediction in older adults was presented and assessed. The new method dramatically improved prediction at high specificity levels using only a standard clinical diagnostic scan. This has the potential to be implemented in clinical practice to enhance patient fragility diagnosis. INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of osteoporosis is based on the measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. However, studies have shown this to be insufficient to accurately predict hip fractures. Therefore, complementary methods are needed to enhance hip fracture risk prediction to identify vulnerable patients. METHODS: Hip DXA scans were obtained for 192 subjects from the Canadian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study (CaMos), 50 of whom had experienced a hip fracture within 5 years of the scan. 2D statistical shape and appearance modeling was performed to account for the effect of the femur's geometry and BMD distribution on hip fracture risk. Statistical shape modeling (SSM), and statistical appearance modeling (SAM) were also used separately to predict the fracture risk based solely on the femur's geometry and BMD distribution, respectively. Combined with BMD, age, and body mass index (BMI), logistic regression was performed to estimate the fracture risk over the 5-year period. RESULTS: Using the new technique, hip fractures were correctly predicted in 78% of cases compared with 36% when using the T-score. The accuracy of the prediction was not greatly reduced when using SSM and SAM (78% and 74% correct, respectively). Various geometric and BMD distribution traits were identified in the fractured and non-fractured groups. CONCLUSION: 2D SSAM can dramatically improve hip fracture prediction at high specificity levels and estimate the year of the impending fracture using standard clinical images. This has the potential to be implemented in clinical practice to estimate hip fracture risk.

Management of Hip Fractures at an Academic Center: Challenges and Opportunities.

OBJECTIVE: To assess characteristics of patients with hip fractures and investigate the extent of osteoporosis-related care they receive at a tertiary referral center in Lebanon. METHODS: A retrospective review of charts of 400 patients admitted with a hip fracture to the American University of Beirut-Medical Center, between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015. We reviewed medical records of adults admitted with a nonpathologic/nontraumatic hip fracture, and evaluated basic demographics and relevant clinical information, associated risk factors, and the management received. RESULTS: The mean age of the population was 78 ± 10 years and men constituted 37%. Women were more likely to be assessed and/or treated. On admission, 21% were taking calcium and 18% vitamin D supplementation. During hospitalization, vitamin D level was assessed in only 39% of patients; a dietary and an osteoporosis consult were requested on only 32% and 22% of the cases, respectively. One-fourth to a third of patients were discharged on calcium or vitamin D, and less than 5% on bisphosphonates. Bone mineral density was measured in a minority although 21% had a history of previous contralateral hip fracture. One year mortality rate in a subset where follow-up available was 12% in men and 7% in women. CONCLUSION: A large care gap in the management of patients admitted with hip fracture persists despite clear national osteoporosis guidelines. This study provides a strong impetus for establishing and monitoring a fracture liaison service to understand and address barriers to providing optimal care to patients with osteoporosis.

Intertrochanteric fracture in pregnancy- and lactation-associated osteoporosis.

Pregnancy- and lactation-associated osteoporosis (PLO) is a special form of osteoporosis, which is the result of multiple factors affecting bone metabolism. The manifestations of PLO include severe low back or hip pain in the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum period, and some patients present with a decrease in height and even fragility fractures. We report here a 33-year-old patient who presented with a left intertrochanteric fracture after falling from standing height at 10 months postpartum. She was diagnosed with PLO because of a considerable decrease in bone mineral density. Our findings are discussed in relation to the literature. Early diagnosis and timely and appropriate therapy are particularly important for PLO. PLO should be considered in patients who complain of low back or transient hip pain during pregnancy and lactation. Discontinuing breastfeeding and supplementing calcium/vitamin D should be recommended after diagnosis of PLO is established.

Visualisation of the unmet treatment need of osteoporotic fracture in Taiwan: A nationwide cohort study.

AIMS: Recent clinical guidelines have suggested that patients experience an osteoporotic fracture should initiate anti-osteoporosis medications (AOMs). However, whether clinical guidelines translate well in "real-world" practices remain questioned. This study aimed to evaluate the "real-world" prescription pattern of AOMs and visualise the unmet treatment needs in different geographical areas in Taiwan. METHODS: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified patients diagnosed with a hip or vertebral fracture between 2009 and 2012. The treatment rate was defined as the proportion of patients receiving AOMs within 1 year after their index fracture. The qualitative geographical information systems approach was adopted to visualise the treatment needs of postfracture patients in different geographical areas. RESULTS: Our study included 276,492 patients diagnosed with a hip or vertebral fracture between 2009 and 2012. The proportion of patients who received AOMs within 1 year after their index fracture increased with age and differed with fracture types and sex. For patients with hip fractures, the treatment rate ranged from 3.43% to 20.88% for female patients and from 0.69% to 10.04% for male patients in different age groups. For patients with vertebral fractures, the treatment rate ranged from 3.23% to 37.08% for female patients and from 1.85% to 23.05% for male patients. Cities in the mid-northern and southern areas of Taiwan had the highest unmet treatment need, with a treatment rate of less than 15%. CONCLUSION: The treatment rate of osteoporotic fractures with AOMs was diverse and suboptimal in Taiwan, especially among male patients. This study used a visualisation technique to display information about the treatment status in different geographical areas and help policymakers allocate resource appropriately.

Cost-effectiveness of bisphosphonates for prevention of fracture related to glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: Glucocorticoid therapy is associated with an appreciable risk of bone loss leading to fractures that require expensive treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of bisphosphonates for prevention of hip fracture in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in Malaysia. METHOD: Retrospective data were collected from GIOP patients referred to the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. Fracture events and direct medical costs were compared between bisphosphonates and calcium/vitamin D combination. RESULTS: Fracture events were reported in 28 out of 93 included patients, with hip and vertebral fractures representing 42.9% and 35.7%, respectively. Overall, the use of bisphosphonates could not be considered cost-effective for treatment of all GIOP patients. The presence of certain fracture risk factors was able to modify the cost-effectiveness of bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates was considered cost-effective if started in patients more than 60 years old. However, the use of bisphosphonates was not cost-effective in GIOP patients with secondary osteoporosis. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of bisphosphonates in patients with risk factors of previous fracture or rheumatoid arthritis were Malaysian Ringgits (MYR) 108 603.40 and MYR 25 699.21, respectively. CONCLUSION: Fracture risk factors of age, previous fracture, rheumatoid arthritis and secondary osteoporosis may modify the cost-effectiveness outcomes of bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates would be considered cost-effective in patients more than 60 years old as compared to calcium/vitamin D treatments. Further evaluation of the impact of fracture risk factors in larger populations would provide more precise information to better assist rational and economical use of anti-osteoporosis treatment in GIOP patients.

Racial-Ethnic Differences in Fall Prevalence among Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Falls are the leading cause of hip fracture in older women, with important public health implications. Fall risk increases with age and other clinical factors, and varies by race/ethnicity. International studies suggest that fall risk is lower in Asians, although data are limited in U.S. POPULATIONS: This study examines racial/ethnic differences in fall prevalence among older U.S. women within a large integrated healthcare delivery system. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from 6277 women ages 65-90 who responded to the 2008 or 2011 Kaiser Permanente Northern California Member Health Survey (KPNC-MHS). The KPNC-MHS is a mailed questionnaire sent to a random sample of adult members stratified by age, gender, and geographic location, representing a population estimate of >200,000 women age ≥65 years. Age, race/ethnicity, self-reported health status, presence of diabetes, arthritis or prior stroke, mobility limitations and number of falls in the past year were obtained from the KPNC-MHS. The independent association of race/ethnicity and recent falls was examined, adjusting for known risk factors. RESULTS: The weighted sample was 76.7% non-Hispanic white, 6.2% Hispanic, 6.8% black and 10.3% Asian. Over 20% reported having fallen during the past year (28.5% non-Hispanic white, 27.8% Hispanic, 23.4% black and 20.1% Asian). Older age was associated with greater fall risk, as was having diabetes (OR 1.24, CI 1.03-1.48), prior stroke (OR 1.51, CI 1.09-2.07), arthritis (OR 1.61, CI 1.39-1.85) and mobility limitations (OR 2.82, CI 2.34-3.39), adjusted for age. Compared to whites, Asian (OR 0.64, CI 0.50-0.81) and black (OR 0.73, CI 0.55-0.95) women were much less likely to have ≥1 fall in the past year, adjusting for age, comorbidities, mobility limitation and poor health status. Asians were also less likely to have ≥2 falls (OR 0.62, CI 0.43-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Among older women, the risk of having a recent fall was substantially lower for black and Asian women when compared to white women. This may contribute to their lower rates of hip fracture. Future studies should examine cultural and behavioral factors that contribute to these observed racial/ethnic differences in fall risk among U.S. women.

Corticosteroid Is Associated with Both Hip Fracture and Fracture-Unrelated Arthropathy.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate whether and how corticosteroid use was associated with serious hip arthropathy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This population-based cohort study analyzed the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and screened the one-million random sample from the entire population for eligibility. The steroid cohort consisted of 21,995 individuals who had used systemic corticosteroid for a minimum of 6 months between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2006. They were matched 1:1 in propensity score on the index calendar date with controls who never used steroid. All participants were followed up until occurrence of serious hip arthropathy that required arthroplasty, withdrawal from the national health insurance, or the end of 2011. Surgical indication was classified as fracture-related and -unrelated. The cumulative incidence of hip arthroplasty was estimated by the Kaplan Meier method. The association with steroid exposure was explored by the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Cumulative incidences of hip arthroplasty after 12 years of follow-up were 2.96% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.73-3.2%) and 1.34% (95% CI, 1.2-1.51%) in the steroid users and non-users, respectively (P<0.0001). The difference was evident in fracture-related arthroplasty with 1.89% (95% CI, 1.71-2.09%) versus 1.10% (95% CI, 0.97-1.25%), but more pronounced in fracture-unrelated surgery, 1.09% (95% CI, 0.95-1.24%) versus 0.24% (95% CI, 0.19-0.32%). Multivariate-adjusted Cox regression analysis confirmed steroid use was independently associated with both fracture-related (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.65; 95% CI, 1.43-1.91) and unrelated arthroplasty (adjusted HR, 4.21; 95% CI, 3.2-5.53). Moreover, the risk for fracture-unrelated arthropathy rose with steroid dosage, as the adjusted HR increased from 3.30 (95% CI, 2.44-4.46) in the low-dose subgroup, 4.54 (95% CI, 3.05-6.77) in intermediate-dose users, to 6.54 (95% CI, 4.74-9.02) in the high-dose counterpart (Ptrend<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroid use is associated with long-term risk of hip arthroplasty, particularly for fracture-unrelated arthropathy.

Celiac disease is associated with reduced bone mineral density and increased FRAX scores in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

We investigated the association between celiac disease (CD) and bone mass density (BMD) and risk of osteoporotic fractures in the general US population. In children and men ≥18 years, CD was associated with reduced BMD, and in men ≥40 years, CD was associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures. INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition, characterized by inflammation of the small intestine. CD has an increasing prevalence, and if unrecognized or untreated, CD can lead to complications from malabsorption and micronutrient deficiencies. We aimed to study whether CD is an independent predictor of reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and FRAX scores in the general US population. METHODS: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2010 and 2013-2014. CD was defined by positive tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody test. Multivariable models of BMD and FRAX scores were adjusted for BMI, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D and calcium supplements, milk intake, serum calcium, and smoking status, when available. RESULTS: In children, aged 8-17 years, CD was associated with decreased Z-scores, by 0.85 for hip and 0.46 for spine (both P < 0.001). In men aged ≥ 18 years, CD was associated with 0.06 g/cm2 decrease in BMD in hip and with 0.11 g/cm2 decrease in BMD in spine (P = 0.08 and P < 0.001, respectively). In women, there were no statistically significant differences in the multiple-adjusted model. In men aged ≥ 40 years, CD predicted FRAX scores, resulting in increased scores by 2.25 % (P = 0.006) for hip fracture and by 2.43 % (P = 0.05) for major osteoporotic fracture. CD did not predict FRAX scores in women aged ≥40 years. CONCLUSION: CD is independently associated with reduced BMD in children and adults aged ≥18 years and is an independent risk factor of osteoporotic fractures in men aged ≥40 years.

Can orthopedic surgeons help create a better head start for osteoporosis treatment after hip fracture?

BACKGROUND: Treatment for osteoporosis in the community in patients who were operated for hip fracture appears to be suboptimal at best. Evidence regarding treatment beyond the 1st year after surgery is scarce. We examined the association between discharge recommendations for treatment of osteoporosis in patients suffering from hip fractures and treatment beyond the 1st year. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study in patients age 50 to 90 years operated for osteoporotic hip fractures between the years 2008 and 2014. We investigated the correlation between discharge recommendations and rates of osteoporosis treatment postdischarge 1 to 7 years, and the influence of osteoporosis diagnosis upon treatment. Exclusion criteria besides age included high-energy trauma, pathologic or periprosthetic fractures, and patients deceased within 1-year postsurgery. RESULTS: A total of 602 patient files were examined. Univariate analysis showed that, of 283 patients who were prescribed dietary supplementation of vitamin D and calcium, a significantly higher percentage of patients received treatment if they had a recommendation (50.3% vs 36.1%, P = 0.0005), were diagnosed (43.8% vs 14.4%, P < 0.0001), or were of female gender (84.1% vs 57.3%, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that the odds ratio (OR) for receiving treatment compared with the control group (patients without a recommendation and a diagnosis) was higher among patients who had both a recommendation and a treatment (OR = 5.4, P < 0.0001) than the group with a diagnosis only (OR = 4.75, P < 0.0001) or a recommendation only (OR = 2.06, P = 0.0006). CONCLUSIONS: A formal recommendation for osteoporosis treatment in the discharge letters of patients who suffered hip fragility fractures increases treatment rate of osteoporosis in the community compared with patients without a recommendation. Patients who receive such a recommendation but also have a formal coded diagnosis of osteoporosis in their medical files have an even higher chance of receiving treatment in the community. Our observations may assist in amplifying the overall treatment rates, which are still undoubtedly low.

Differences in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and hip fractures in nursing home residents and independently living elderly

ABSTRACT Objective To compare the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and fracture history in nursing home residents and community-dwelling elderly subjects and to explore the association of vitamin D levels with various characteristics. Materials and methods Sixty-six nursing home residents and 139 community-dwelling elderly subjects participated. Marital status, medical history, medication including vitamin D supplements, smoking, past fractures were assessed. Weight and height were measured and body mass index calculated. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), PTH, Ca, phosphate, creatinine and eGFR were determined. Results In the nursing home residents 25-OHD was lower (17.8 nmol/l, [9.4-28.6] vs. 36.7 nmol/l, [26.9-50], p < 0.001), PTH was higher (5.6 pmol/l, [3.9-8.9] vs. 4.7 pmol/l [3.6-5.8], P = 0.003) and 25-OHD deficiency was more prevalent (65.2% [53.7-76.7] vs. 22.3% [15.4-29.2], p < 0.001) as was elevated PTH (23% [12.8-33] vs. 5.8% [2-10], p = 0.001). 25-OHD correlated negatively with PTH (institutionalized r = -0.28, p = 0.025 and community-dwelling r = -0.36, p < 0.001). Hip fractures were reported by 8% of the residents and 2% of the independent elderly. The only predictor for hip fracture was elevated PTH (OR = 7.6 (1.5-36.9), p = 0.013). Conclusion The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism was high in the institutionalized subjects. Hip fracture risk was associated with elevated PTH and not directly with vitamin D levels or the residency status.