2009 IMHA News

November

Hip and spinal fractures increase risk of death: study

Suffering a broken hip or fractured spine significantly increases the risk of death in people over 50, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The five-year study, which was led by Dr. George Ioannidis at McMaster University, involved 7,753 Canadians aged 50 or older who were participants in the ongoing Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. The researchers found that for men and women there was a three-fold increase in the likelihood of dying after a hip fracture compared to those without a fracture, and almost the same increase for those who suffer a spinal fracture. Among the study participants, they found that one in four people who broke a hip and one in six who fractured their spine died within five years of the injury. The researchers said more needs to be done to reduce fractures and improve survival. "We've known for a long time that hip and spinal fractures can lead to a progressive decline in health," says Dr. Jane Aubin, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis. "This important work by Dr. Ioannidis and his colleagues shows that we need to do more to help people achieve lifelong bone health. We need to prevent fractures through early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, and we need to improve rehabilitation to restore mobility and enhance survival after fracture."