Osteoporosis prevalence and fracture characteristics in elderly female patients with fractures

The aim of this study was to characterize the features of fractures that occur in female patients with osteoporosis in the setting of a typical trauma hospital. Observational study was conducted on 233 women aged 50 years and above reporting to a trauma center with a fracture. Fracture location, fracture classification and cause of fracture were obtained and compared with bone mineral status assessed by DXA at the spine. Our findings indicate that with increasing patient age, the majority of fractures occur after a minor traumatic event. In more than one-third of all fractures after minor trauma, the patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in patients older than 50 years with fractures was more than 30% and was increasing with age. Most strikingly, one-third of the patients have had a previous fracture at a location that should have triggered the assessment of bone health status, but only 25% of them had received any form of osteoporosis treatment. For patients older than 50 years reporting to a trauma unit with a fracture, osteoporosis has a considerable prevalence. The large number of patients who have had a previous fracture emphasizes the necessity for an effective implementation of treatment algorithms for elderly patients with osteoporosis in the setting of a trauma hospital.