Effects of osteoporotic fractures on quality of life‐related variables in the community elderly in Japan: An 8‐year follow‐up study in TMIG‐LISA

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the long‐term influence of osteoporotic fractures on (1) self‐rated health (SRH); (2) instrumental activity of daily living (I‐ADL); and (3) state of depression, all of which are the major variables related to quality of life (QOL) in the elderly.Methods: The subjects were 504 men and women who participated in the Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Study on Aging conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG‐LISA) from 1992 to 2000. Among those interviewed, 50 participants (15 males and 35 females) who sustained fractures spontaneously or by minor trauma were diagnosed as having osteoporotic fractures.A nested case‐control (1 : 1) study with sex‐and age‐matched controls was conducted as statistical analysis to identify the effects of osteoporotic fractures on QOL‐related variables.Results: For self‐rated health, the frequency of ‘poor’ self‐rated health increased significantly in the cases from 19.6% at baseline (1992) to 42.6% at the 8‐year follow‐up (2000). In the controls, there was no significant increase in frequency of ‘poor’ rating.The proportion of subjects with impaired I‐ADL during 8 years increased significantly in the cases from 12.0% in 1992 to 38.0% in 2000, and also in the controls from 14.0% in 1992 to 36.0% in 2000.The prevalence of depressive status increased in the cases from 32.6% to 50.0%. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between cases and controls.Conclusion: The results suggest that osteoporotic fractures at any site are associated with serious and remarkable decline of overall QOL‐related variables among the community elderly.