Abstract
Objective:To determine the frequency of vertebral fractures in patients presenting with hip fractures.Methods:This prospective study was conducted at The Indus Hospital, Karachi, from May 2018 to November 2018. All patients above 40 years presenting with hip fractures were enrolled and a dorsal lumbar lateral view radiograph was obtained to investigate for vertebral fractures. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS. Post-stratification, Chi-square/Fisher exact test was applied as appropriate to assess the significant association. P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant.Results:Three hundred thirty five patients were enrolled. Of these, 189 (56.4%) were females and 165 (49.3%) presented with neck of femur fractures. Out of 335 hip fractures patients, 77 (23%) were found to have concomitant vertebral fractures, with 73 (96.1%) having a compression fracture. T12 was the most common vertebra involved and 68.8% of patients were asymptomatic. Co-morbid conditions were statistically significantly associated with vertebral fractures.Conclusion:There is a high prevalence of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in our population, but low compared to studies from western countries. There is a need to evaluate these fractures separately for the prevention of morbidity and mortality.
Highlights
Vertebral fractures (VFs) are often asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed until patients experience a subsequent more distressing and disabling fracture
Women with hip fractures were older than men (Median: 66 vs 62.5, p=0.009,)
The study reported the prevalence of VF in women as 3.4% when age
Summary
Vertebral fractures (VFs) are often asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed until patients experience a subsequent more distressing and disabling fracture. If symptomatic, they can be the source of significant pain, affecting performance of daily activities and may cause mortality. Vertebral injuries, when accompanied with hip fractures, are associated with pain and prolonged recovery and can cause other healthcare complications such as deep venous thrombosis due to extended periods of immobilization.[7] They are often unnoticed and rehabilitation even after surgery is poor. Identifying these VFs at the right time is, of utmost importance to improve the care of such patients. We set out to determine the frequency of vertebral fractures in patients presenting with hip fractures
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