Study indicates risk of second major osteoporotic fracture greatest after initial fracture

A study presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases to determine whether the predictive value of a previous major osteoporotic fracture for future fracture changed with time indicated the greatest risk for a second major fracture was immediately following the index fracture.

“The results of our study show that the risk of further fracture after a major osteoporotic fracture is greatest immediately following the first event, with declining, but still increased, risk in subsequent years,” Nicholas C. Harvey, MA, MB, BChir, MRCP, PhD, of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit at the University of Southampton in Southampton, United Kingdom, said in a press release from the International Osteoporosis Foundation. “These results suggest that pharmological treatment for secondary fracture prevention should be considered during the period immediately following a first fracture.”

Of patients who participated in the Reykjavik study from 1967 to 1991, Harvey and colleagues found 5,039 had experienced one or more major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs). Results showed a second MOF was reported in 1,919 patients.

Investigators noted after the first MOF, there was a 4% chance of a second fracture for each year of age, with a 41% higher risk in women compared with men. Following the first year of the initial MOF, investigators found the risk of a second MOF was 3.1-times higher than that found in the general, non-fracture population. However, the risk ratio after 10 years for fracture patients was 2.2 compared with that of the general, non-fracture population. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo

References:

Harvey NC, et al. Paper #35. Presented at: World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases; April 14-17, 2016; Malaga, Spain.

www.iofbonehealth.org

Disclosure: Harvey reports no relevant financial disclosures.