Abstract
Summary: We examined the rate of clinical vertebral fractures, and the circumstances associated with the fractures, in a cohort of 5,995 US older men. Fractures were more common in the most elderly men, and were usually associated with falls and other low-energy trauma. Introduction: Little is known about clinical vertebral fractures in older men. We postulated that clinical vertebral fractures occur with falls, affect men with osteoporosis, and are more common as age increases. Methods: Five thousand nine hundred and ninety-five men aged ≥65 years were followed prospectively for an average of 4.7 years. Men with incident clinical vertebral fractures were compared to controls. Results: One percent (n=61) sustained incident clinical vertebral fractures (2.2/1,000 person-years). The rate of fracture rose with age (0.7% in men 65-69 years and 5% ≥85 years). Fractured men were more likely frail (8.2% vs. 2.2%), more often fell (36.1% vs. 21%) and had lower total hip and lumbar spine BMD (all p values ≤0.002). In 73.8% of cases fractures were precipitated by no known trauma or by low-energy trauma, including falls in 57.3% Fractures were thoracic in 33% and lumbar in 56%. Men with an incident vertebral fracture were more likely to be osteoporotic (13% vs. 2%, p<0.0001), but most men with incident fractures did not have osteoporosis. Conclusions: Incident clinical vertebral fractures were relatively common in older men and the rate increased after age 80 years. Fractures were usually associated with minimal trauma, most commonly a fall.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 615-623 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Osteoporosis International |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2008 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) is supported by the National Institutes of Health. The following Institutes provide support: the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), under the following grant numbers: UO1 AR45580, UO1 AR45614, UO1 AR45632, UO1 AR45647, UO1 AR45654, UO1 AR45583, UO1 AG18197 and M01 RR000334.
Funding Information:
The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study is supported by the National institutes of Health. The following Institutes provide support: the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) through grants U01 AR45580, U01 AR45614, U01 AR45632, U01 AR45647, U01 AR45654, U01 AR45583, U01 AG18197 and M01 RR000334. We thank all the participants in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study for their continued participation.
Keywords
- BMD
- Epidemiology
- Men
- Osteoporosis
- Vertebral fractures