Relative Risk Of Hip Fracture Research Articles

Hip fracture risk in relation to vitamin D supplementation and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies

BackgroundVitamin D supplementation for fracture prevention is widespread despite conflicting interpretation of relevant randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence. This study summarises quantitatively the current evidence from RCTs and observational studies regarding vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and hip fracture risk.MethodsWe undertook separate meta-analyses of RCTs examining vitamin D supplementation and hip fracture, and observational studies of serum vitamin D status (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level), PTH and hip fracture. Results from RCTs were combined using the reported hazard ratios/relative risks (RR). Results from case-control studies were combined using the ratio of 25(OH)D and PTH measurements of hip fracture cases compared with controls. Original published studies of vitamin D, PTH and hip fracture were identified through PubMed and Web of Science databases, searches of reference lists and forward citations of key papers.ResultsThe seven eligible RCTs identified showed no significant difference in hip fracture risk in those randomised to cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol supplementation versus placebo/control (RR = 1.13[95%CI 0.98-1.29]; 801 cases), with no significant difference between trials of <800 IU/day and ≥800 IU/day. The 17 identified case-control studies found 33% lower serum 25(OH)D levels in cases compared to controls, based on 1903 cases. This difference was significantly greater in studies with population-based compared to hospital-based controls (χ21 (heterogeneity) = 51.02, p < 0.001) and significant heterogeneity was present overall (χ216 (heterogeneity) = 137.9, p < 0.001). Serum PTH levels in hip fracture cases did not differ significantly from controls, based on ten case-control studies with 905 cases (χ29 (heterogeneity) = 149.68, p < 0.001).ConclusionsNeither higher nor lower dose vitamin D supplementation prevented hip fracture. Randomised and observational data on vitamin D and hip fracture appear to differ. The reason for this is unclear; one possible explanation is uncontrolled confounding in observational studies. Post-fracture PTH levels are unrelated to hip fracture risk.

Dietary protein and bone health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThere has been a resurgence of interest in the controversial relation between dietary protein and bone health. ObjectiveThis article reports on the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the relation between protein and bone health in healthy human adults. DesignThe MEDLINE (January 1966 to September 2007) and EMBASE (1974 to July 2008) databases were electronically searched for all relevant studies of healthy adults; studies of calcium excretion or calcium balance were excluded. ResultsIn cross-sectional surveys, all pooled r values for the relation between protein intake and bone mineral density (BMD) or bone mineral content at the main clinically relevant sites were significant and positive; protein intake explained 1–2% of BMD. A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials indicated a significant positive influence of all protein supplementation on lumbar spine BMD but showed no association with relative risk of hip fractures. No significant effects were identified for soy protein or milk basic protein on lumbar spine BMD. ConclusionsA small positive effect of protein supplementation on lumbar spine BMD in randomized placebo-controlled trials supports the positive association between protein intake and bone health found in cross-sectional surveys. However, these results were not supported by cohort study findings for hip fracture risk. Any effects found were small and had 95% CIs that were close to zero. Therefore, there is a small benefit of protein on bone health, but the benefit may not necessarily translate into reduced fracture risk in the long term.

Higher Vitamin D Guideline Expected Soon

Higher Vitamin D Guideline Expected Soon

Fractures Halved With Vitamin C

MONTREAL — Consumption of vitamin C at sufficiently high levels is associated with nearly a 50% decrease in the risk of hip and nonvertebral osteoporotic fractures in elderly men and women, according to a 15- to 17-year follow-up of participants in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Previous studies of menopausal and postmenopausal women have shown that dietary intake of vitamin C is associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD) and that a high vitamin C serum level is associated with a decreased prevalence of fracture, Marian T. Hannan, DSc, said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, plays an important role in the formation of collagen. Published evidence suggests that oxidative stress may result in increased osteoclast formation, resulting in greater bone resorption, said Dr. Hannan, who presented the study on behalf of Shivani Sahni of Tufts University, Boston. Of 5,209 men and women in the original Framingham Heart Study cohort, the investigators identified 958 individuals who had participated in the beginning of the osteoporosis study in 1988–1989, had answered a food-frequency questionnaire, and had no history of a hip fracture. These individuals had a mean age of 75 years and experienced 100 hip fractures and 180 nonvertebral osteoporotic fractures during the follow-up period, Dr. Hannan reported. For the study, participants were divided into three groups based on their intake of vitamin C. The relative risk of hip fracture was significantly lower for individuals who had the highest total intake of both dietary and supplemental vitamin C (a median of 305 mg/day) than it was for people with the lowest total intake (median of 97 mg/day). This translated into a 44% decrease in relative risk of hip fracture, according to Dr. Hannan of Harvard Medical School's Institute for Aging Research, Boston. Those with the highest total intake of vitamin C also had a 36% lower relative risk of having a nonvertebral osteoporotic fracture than did individuals with the lowest total intake. When the investigators looked at supplemental vitamin C intake alone, the highest users (median of 260 mg/day) had a 70% lower relative risk of hip fracture than did nonusers. Supplements accounted for about 28% of the individuals' total vitamin C intake, Dr. Hannan said. The investigators found no effect for dietary intake of vitamin C alone. All of the comparisons were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, height, smoking status, estrogen use in women, physical activity, alcohol use, multivitamin use, femoral neck BMD, and total intake of energy, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. One audience member suggested that the discrepancy between the effects of supplemental and dietary vitamin C intake could mean that there are residual confounding effects from factors that were not accounted for in the study, such that supplemental use of vitamin C may be a marker for people who care more about their health and take better care of themselves. This is a problem that can only be answered with a randomized, controlled trial, Dr. Hannan noted. “We were intrigued by the lack of a BMD effect on [the association between] vitamin C and fracture, and we believe that it implies that vitamin C may affect a different pathway or other fracture risk factors, for example, fall risk factors or mobility risk factors,” Dr. Hannan said Jeff Evans is a senior writer with Elsevier Global Medical News.

Vertebral Fracture Assessment (VFA) With a Densitometer Predicts Future Fractures in Elderly Women Unselected for Osteoporosis

Low radiation dose imaging of the lateral spine acquired with a bone densitometer for vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) has great potential for clinical use. We have undertaken an evaluation of VFA in a prospective population cohort of elderly women to examine the prevalence of vertebral fractures, their ability to predict incident fractures, and their use in targeting therapy. Women (n = 5157) >or=75 yr of age living in the general community in the United Kingdom underwent posteroanterior and lateral imaging of the spine (T(4)-L(4)) with a densitometer (Hologic QDR4500A) at entry to a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of 800 mg oral clodronate (Bonefos) or matching placebo daily over 3 yr. The women were identified from general practice registers and recruited by letter of invitation regardless of skeletal status. The proportion of vertebrae interpretable varied from 98.2% at T(12) to 57.1% at T(4), with >92% interpretable at levels between T(8) and L(3). As judged by BMD at the total hip, 19.6% of the women had osteoporosis, and the prevalence of vertebral fracture was 14.5%. Women with one or more vertebral fractures had a relative risk (RR) for incident osteoporotic fractures of 2.01 (95% CI, 1.64-2.47). The RR for hip fractures was 2.29 (95% CI, 1.63-3.21). After adjustment for age, femoral neck BMD, weight, and treatment, the RR was 1.50 (95% CI, 1.21-1.86) for osteoporotic fractures, with similar results for hip fractures (RR, 1.41; 95% CI, 0.99-2.02). For women with two or more vertebral fractures, the adjusted RRs were 1.97 (95% CI, 1.24-2.72) and 1.86 (95% CI, 1.14-3.03) for osteoporotic and hip fractures, respectively. We conclude that VFA can frequently detect vertebral fractures in a population cohort of elderly women. These fractures, like radiographic fractures, predict future clinical fractures independent of age, weight, and BMD. Having multiple vertebral fractures was associated with greater risk of incident osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures.

Recent developments in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis with bisphosphonates: enhanced efficacy by enhanced compliance

Bisphosphonates are the current mainstay of treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Although daily oral dosing is effective, it is associated with poor compliance, partly because of the pre and postdose fasting and posture requirements. This negatively impacts treatment outcomes, leading to a reduced clinical benefit. Improved, yet still suboptimal adherence has been noticed with less frequent bisphosphonate dosing e.g. once-weekly and once-monthly oral regimens. The recently approved quarterly intravenous (i.v.) injection regimen of ibandronate and yearly i.v. infusion of zoledronic acid are attractive options in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. These regimens may assure quarterly and year long compliance.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Risk of Hip Fractures in Patients without Major Risk Factors

To estimate the relative risk of hip fracture associated with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use in a population without major risk factors. A two-phase, matched, nested case-control study. United Kingdom General Practice Research Database (GPRD). Phase 1 identified 4414 case patients (aged 50-79 yrs) with an incident hip fracture between 1995 and 2005 who had at least 2 years of recorded history in the GPRD; each case was matched by age, sex, and index date (date of first-time hip fracture for cases, same date for matched controls) to up to 10 controls who did not have hip fracture. Phase 2 included the 1098 case patients identified as having no major medical risk factors for hip fracture (as assessed in phase 1) and a new set of 10,923 controls without major risk factors for hip fracture matched by sex, age, index date, and duration of history in the GPRD. In phase 1, we identified major medical risk factors for hip fracture. In phase 2, we restricted the study to case patients with none of these risk factors and matched them to new controls, who also had none of the risk factors. Data on use of PPIs were collected and compared between the groups. The relative risk (RR) for hip fracture among patients who received any PPI prescription was 0.9 (95% confidence interval 0.7-1.1) compared with those with no PPI prescription. We found no evidence of an increased risk of hip fracture with increased PPI use. The RR estimates were similar in both sexes and in all age subgroups. No specific PPI was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture. Use of PPIs does not increase the risk of hip fracture in patients without major risk factors. The difference in results between our study and that of another, which indicated that PPI use increases the risk of hip fracture, may be due to residual confounding or effect modification in the latter study.

Increased Risk of Hip Fracture Among Men With CKD

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have disturbances in mineral metabolism. Those requiring dialysis therapy are at substantially increased risk of fracture. However, fracture risk in patients with CKD not requiring dialysis has not been well studied. Retrospective cohort. We identified men who sought care at 8 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers located in the Northwest from July 1999 to March 2006 who had a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Patients who received long-term dialysis therapy or had a previous organ transplant, diagnosis of cancer, or history of hip fracture were excluded. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of GFR stage with relative risk of hip fracture. GFR estimated on the basis of 2 or more consecutively abnormal outpatient serum creatinine measurements during a 6-month period. Hip fracture ascertained from patient medical records. In 33,091 veterans, 176 hip fractures were identified. After adjustment for age, body mass index, diabetes, and use of selected medications, relative risks of hip fracture for men with a GFR of 30 to 59 and 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m(2) were 1.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 1.66) and 3.98 (95% confidence interval, 2.25 to 7.74), respectively. Retrospective study of men only. These results suggest that the risk of hip fracture in men with CKD stage 4 is increased to a degree similar to that of dialysis patients.

Effects of Long-term Fluoride in Drinking Water on Risks of Hip Fracture of the Elderly: An Ecologic Study Based on Database of Hospitalization Episodes

Fluoridation of drinking water is known to decrease dental caries, particularly in children. However, the effects of fluoridated water on bone over several decades are still in controversy. To assess the risk of hip fracture related to water fluoridation, we evaluated the hip fracture-related hospitalizations of the elderly between a fluoridated city and non-fluoridated cities in Korea. Cheongju as a fluoridated area and Chungju, Chuncheon, Suwon, Wonju as non-fluoridated areas were chosen for the study. We established a database of hip fracture hospitalization episode based on the claims data submitted to the Health Insurance Review Agency from January 1995 to December 2002. The hip fracture hospitalization episodes that satisfied the conditions were those that occurred in patients over 65 years old, the injuries had a hip fracture code (ICD-9 820, ICD-10 S72) and the patients were hospitalized for at least 7days. A total of 80,558 cases of hip fracture hospitalization episodes were analyzed. The admission rates for hip fracture increased with the age of the men and women in both a fluoridated city and the non-fluoridated cities (p<0.01). The relative risk of hip fracture increased significantly both for men and women as their age increased. However, any difference in the hip fracture admission rates was not consistently observed between the fluoridated city and the nonfluoridated cities. We cannot conclude that fluoridation of drinking water increases the risk of hip fracture in the elderly.

Increased Risks of Hip Fracture in Diabetic Patients of Taiwan

Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance claim data, we evaluated the age-, sex-, and urbanization-specific incidence density and relative risks of hip fracture in the diabetic population. Diabetic patients (n = 500,868) and an age- and sex-matched control group (n = 500,248) were linked to inpatient claims (1997-2002) to identify hospitalizations for nontransport accident hip fracture. The person-year approach with Poisson assumption and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to estimate the incidence and the cumulative event rates. We also assessed the age-, sex-, and urbanization-specific relative risks of hip fracture in relation to diabetes with the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The overall incidences of hip fracture for diabetic men and women, respectively, were 3.01 and 6.75/1,000 person-years, which were higher than those for control men and women. There were significant interactions of diabetes and age and diabetes and urbanization statuses. Hazard ratios (HRs) of diabetic patients aged 35-44 years (men 2.45 [95% CI 1.65-3.64]; women 3.19 [1.39-7.33]) were higher than those of diabetic patients aged 55-64 years (men 1.90; women 2.81), but in diabetic men aged >74 years and diabetic women aged >84 years, the HRs were compared with null statistically (HRs 0.98 and 0.91, respectively). Diabetic patients living in rural areas tended to have higher HRs of hip fracture. In Taiwan, diabetes increased the risk of hip fracture in both sexes in all age-groups except in diabetic men aged >74 years and diabetic women aged >84 years. Higher HRs of hip fracture were disproportionately observed in younger diabetic patients and in those living in rural areas.

Incidence and risk factors for hip or other bone fractures among hemodialysis patients in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study

The available data on bone fractures in hemodialysis (HD) patients are limited to results of a few studies of subgroups of patients in the United States. This study describes the prevalence of hip fractures and the incidence and risk factors associated with hip and other fractures in representative groups of HD facilities (n=320) and patients (n=12 782) from the 12 countries in the second phase of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (2002-2004). Among prevalent patients, 2.6% had a prior hip fracture. The incidence of fractures was 8.9 per 1000 patient years for new hip fractures and 25.6 per 1000 for any new fracture. Older age (relative risk (RR)(HIP)=1.91, RR(ANY)=1.33, P<0.0001), female sex (RR(HIP)=1.41, P=0.02; RR(ANY)=1.59, P<0.0001), prior kidney transplant (RR(HIP)=2.35, P=0.04; RR(ANY)=1.76, P=0.007), and low serum albumin (RR(HIP)=1.85, RR(ANY)=1.45, per 1 g/dl lower, P<0.0001) were predictive of new fractures. Elevated risk of new hip fracture was observed for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and combination narcotic medications (RR=1.63, RR=1.74, respectively, P<0.05). Several medications were associated with risk of any new fracture: narcotic pain medications (RR=1.67, P=0.02), benzodiazepines (RR=1.31, P=0.03), adrenal cortical steroids (RR=1.40, P<0.05), and combination narcotic medications (RR=1.72, P=0.001). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels >900 pg/ml were associated with an elevated risk of any new fracture (RR=1.72, P<0.05) versus PTH 150-300. The results suggest that greater selectivity in prescribing several classes of psychoactive drugs and more efficient treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism may help reduce the burden of fractures in HD patients.

Six-fold increased risk of hip fracture in older Australians (≥60 years) with dementia

IntroductionThe objectives were: (1) to estimate the prevalence of dementia in older people with hip fracture (HF) and (2) to evaluate the significance of dementia and residential care as risk factors for HF in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia.MethodsWe performed a prospective study of 555 consecutive patients (≥60 years) with HF (mean age 82.6±7.9 (SD) years; 74.2% women) within 162,608 person-years of observation. The main predictor variables of HF were, pre-fracture diagnosed dementia of any type and residential status. ACT population estimates and age- and gender-specific prevalence rates of dementia in the ACT population were used to calculate the relative risk of HF in demented people.ResultsOf those with HF, 176 (31.7%) were diagnosed with dementia prior to the fracture. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that dementia in HF patients was associated with history of stroke (OR=2.2; 95% CI 1.2–4.0; p=0.008), residential care (OR=6.7; 95% CI 4.5–10.2; p=0.001) and older age (OR=1.03; 95% CI 1.0–1.1; p=0.036). The overall relative risk (RR) for HF in persons with dementia was 6.3 (95% CI 5.1–7.1) times higher than in those without pre-fracture dementia, and the RR in the young-old (60–79 years) with dementia was higher than in the old-old (≥85 years). The RR of HF for demented persons living in long-term residential care facilities compared to the non-demented age-matched community-dwelling population was 16.3 (95% CI 14.4–18.2; p=0.001).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated a high prevalence of demented people among HF patients and a 6.3-fold risk for HF in older persons with dementia. This risk is almost 2.6 times greater in demented people living in residential care. These data may be useful in health policy decisions and strongly support development of targeted HF prevention strategies, planning and allocation of resources and prioritisation of prevention efforts toward those with dementia, especially in residential care.

Retracted: Alendronate and vitamin D2 for prevention of hip fracture in Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial

Incidence of a fracture, particularly in the hip joint, is high in elderly women with Parkinson's disease (PD), and this is due to the immobilization-induced bone resorption and vitamin D deficiency with reduced bone mineral density (BMD). The objective of this study was to address the possibility that treatment with alendronate and vitamin D2 may reduce the incidence of hip fractures in elderly women with PD. PD patients were randomly assigned to daily treatment with 5 mg alendronate (n = 144) or a placebo combined with 1,000 IU of vitamin D2 (n = 144) and followed for 2 years. Incidence of hip fractures in the two patient groups during the 2-year follow-up period was studied. At baseline, both groups of patients had low BMD with high levels of serum-ionized calcium and urinary deoxypyridinoline (D-Pyr). Hip fractures occurred in 14 patients in the placebo group and 4 in the alendronate group. The relative risk for hip fractures in the alendronate group as compared with the placebo group was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.10-0.85). The number of hip fracture per 1,000 patient-years was 14 and 49 for the alendronate and placebo groups, respectively. In the alendronate group, serum calcium and urinary D-Pyr levels decreased significantly during the follow-up period, while the levels in the placebo group were increased. BMD increased by 3.1% in the alendronate group and decreased by 2.8% in the placebo group (P < 0.01). Treatment with alendronate and vitamin D2 increases BMD in elderly women with PD and leads to the prevention of hip fractures.

Low metacarpal index predicts hip fracture: A prospective population study of 3,561 subjects with 15 years of follow-up

Background Metacarpal index (MCI), measured from hand radiographs as the ratio between combined cortical thickness and bone diameter, has been suggested for assessment of bone mass and risk of osteoporotic fracture. We studied MCI for its ability to predict hip fractures.Methods Hand radiographs were taken and MCI determined in 3,561 subjects from a representative population sample of 8,000 Finns who were 30 years of age or over in 1978–80. Record linkage to the National Hospital Discharge Register identified 117 subjects who had been hospitalized for primary treatment of hip fracture by the end of 1994.Results High age, low body mass index, tall stature and smoking at baseline showed, independently of each other, significant associations with low MCI. Low MCI was a strong predictor of hip fracture. When adjusted for all potential confounding factors, the relative risk of hip fracture per decrement of MCI by one standard deviation (0.1) was 1.5 (95% CI 1.2–1.8).Interpretation Low MCI is associated with known risk factors of osteoporosis and predicts hip fracture. Since hand radiographs are easily available at low cost, measurements of MCI can be used as an alternative approach to find osteoporotic individuals with a high risk of hip fracture. ▪

Strontium Ranelate Reduces the Risk of Nonvertebral Fractures in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis: Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis (TROPOS) Study

Strontium ranelate is an orally active drug that may permit ongoing production of bone while at the same time reducing bone resorption. New vertebral fractures reportedly are less frequent in postmenopausal women who receive this agent. The Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis Study (TROPOS) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to show whether strontium ranelate prevents nonvertebral fractures in European and Australian postmenopausal women who had a bone mineral density (BMD) equivalent to a T-score less than −2.5. Participants were 74 years or older, or 70 to 74 years if an additional fracture risk factor was present. Either strontium ranelate in a daily dose of 2 g or placebo was given to 5091 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Major statistical analysis was undertaken over 3 years of treatment. The intention-to-treat population totaled 4932 patients. The relative risk (RR) of nonvertebral fractures was reduced 16% during 3 years of follow up, and major nonvertebral osteoporotic factors were reduced by 19%. The RR for hip fracture was reduced by 15%—not a statistically significant result. Hip fractures were reduced 36% in women aged 74 years and older who had a BMD T-score of −3 or less. Patients given strontium ranelate had a 39% reduction in the RR of new vertebral fractures over 3 years. The RR of a first vertebral fracture was lowered by 45%. BMD increased significantly in both the total hip and femoral neck. Treatment was well-tolerated, and changes in serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone were not of clinical importance. Nonvertebral fractures, particularly hip fractures, are significantly less likely to occur in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who receive 2 g of strontium ranelate daily compared with placebo recipients. The investigators believe that this drug could be a helpful first-line treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Contribution of Hip Strength Indices to Hip Fracture Risk in Elderly Men and Women

In this prospective, case-control study, femoral neck diameter, cross-sectional moment of inertia, or section modulus was an independent predictor of hip fracture risk after adjustment for BMD. However, the contribution of each of these indices to hip fracture prediction was modest in the presence of BMD. The relative contribution of measures of hip strength to hip fracture prediction is unclear. This study was designed to characterize the association between hip strength indices and hip fracture risk in relation to BMD in elderly men and women. Seventy-one women and 25 men>or=60 years of age, who sustained a hip fracture during the study period of 1989-2003, were selected from the prospective, population-based Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study. These fracture cases were randomly matched for age and sex in a 1:2 ratio with nonfracture individuals. BMD at the femoral neck was measured before the fracture event by DXA (Lunar DPX-L). Hip strength indices, including femoral neck diameter (FND), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), and section modulus (Z), were estimated by reanalysis of the image files using hip strength analysis software. In women, after adjustment for BMD, increased risk of hip fracture was associated with smaller FND (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0, 2.7), lower CSMI (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.0, 3.2), or Z (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1, 5.1). In men, none of these hip strength indices were significant predictors of fracture risk. However, using the results in women as a prior distribution, it was estimated that the BMD-adjusted OR for FND (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0, 2.3), CSMI (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0, 2.5), or Z (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4, 3.9) was each significantly associated with hip fracture risk in men. In the logistic regression model, BMD alone accounted for 32% and 16% of the variance of fracture liability in women and men, respectively. The addition of FND, CSMI, or Z to the model increased the respective variance proportion to 34% and 19%. These data suggest that smaller FND and lower CSMI or Z is an independent risk factor for hip fracture in both women and men. However, the contribution of these measures to hip fracture prediction over and above BMD is likely modest.

Evaluation of hip fracture risk in relation to fall direction

The purpose of this study is to evaluate hip fracture risk in relation to fall direction, and to elucidate factors that influence the impact force in falls on the hip. Eight healthy volunteers performed deliberate falls in three directions (lateral, posterolateral and posterior) on a force platform covered by a mattress of 13 cm thickness. Fall descent motions and impact postures were examined by a three-dimensional analyzer. The maximum ground force reaction, velocity of the greater trochanter at impact, and activity of quadriceps and gluteus medius were measured. In all trials of lateral and posterolateral falls, but not of posterior falls, the subjects hit their greater trochanter directly on the mattress. The impact forces were between 2,000 N and 4,000 N. Posterolateral falls showed significantly higher velocity at impact than did posterior falls. The height and the lower limb length exhibited positive correlations with the impact force in all directions of fall. In the lateral fall, there was a positive correlation between the activity of quadriceps and the impact force. In view of the impact point, force, and velocity, the posterolateral fall seemed to carry the highest risk of hip fracture.

Vitamin A Intake and Osteoporosis: A Clinical Review

If osteoporosis is linked with vitamin A (Vit A) A consumption, millions of people could be affected. A MEDLINE search was performed with keywords retinol, beta-carotene, and osteoporosis. Of 20 clinical studies, 3 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 14 were observational studies, and 3 were case reports. Most (8) observational studies were cross-sectional. Oral retinoyl palmitate (RP) in high doses induces fractures and radiographic osteoporosis in animals. Retinol intake from diet or supplements is negatively associated with lumbar, femoral neck, and trochanter bone mineral density (BMD). There is a graded increase in relative risk of hip fracture with increasing retinol intake, attributable primarily to retinol (either from diet or supplements) but not beta-carotene intake. Higher serum retinol levels are associated with higher risk of any fracture and with higher risk of hip fracture, whereas there is no evidence of harm associated with beta-carotene intake. The few RCTs involve serum markers of bone metabolism, not bone density or fracture outcomes. Observational studies are generally consistent in finding harm from either dietary or supplemental retinol intake on BMD and hip fracture risk. Total Vit A intake is more important than source in determining harm. Adverse effects may occur at a level of retinol intake that is only about twice the current recommendation for adult females. It is not yet possible to set a specific level of retinol intake above which bone health is compromised. Pending further investigation, Vit A supplements should not be used with the express goal of improving bone health.

Outcomes associated with hypogonadism in women with chronic kidney disease

Outcomes associated with hypogonadism in women with chronic kidney disease

COLLES FRACTURE, SPINE FRACTURE, AND SUBSEQUENT RISK OF HIP FRACTURE IN MEN AND WOMEN

In postmenopausal women, a history of any fracture is an important risk factor for a future hip fracture. Whether similar findings apply to aging men remains to be established. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to compare men and women with respect to the relative risk of hip fracture after a wrist or spine fracture. Studies published in full from January 1982 through September 2002 in English, French, or German were identified from the PubMed database and from reference lists of retrieved articles. We included cohort studies that reported fractures associated with minimal trauma of the wrist or spine as a risk factor for a subsequent hip fracture among (white) women and men who were fifty years old or older. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers and were checked for accuracy in a second review. Differences in assessments were resolved by consensus of the two reviewers. Nine cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis: five studies were conducted in the United States and four, in Europe. After homogeneity of association was demonstrated across all studies, a fixed-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled relative risks with 95% confidence intervals. Among postmenopausal women, the relative risks for a future fracture of the hip after a fracture of the wrist or spine were 1.53 (95% confidence interval, 1.34 to 1.74; p < 0.001) and 2.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.92 to 2.51; p < 0.001), respectively. In older men, these relative risks were 3.26 (95% confidence interval, 2.08 to 5.11; p < 0.001) and 3.54 (95% confidence interval, 2.01 to 6.23; p < 0.001), respectively. Fractures of the distal part of the radius increased the relative risk of hip fracture significantly more in men than in women (p = 0.002). The impact of a spine fracture, conversely, did not differ between genders (p = 0.11). Sensitivity analyses with use of random-effects methodology confirmed these findings to be robust. This meta-analysis suggests that a previous spine fracture has an equally important impact on the risk of a subsequent hip fracture in both genders. The prospective association between a Colles fracture and a subsequent hip fracture, however, is significantly stronger among men than among postmenopausal women. Men with a Colles fracture are at high risk for a future hip fracture and should be evaluated as candidates for preventive measures.