Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Increases the Risk of Hip Fracture: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Clinical assessment of balance and functional impairments in people with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of this study was to compare the balance and functional capacity between stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients versus healthy controls using clinical tests. A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase and Web of Science was conducted from inception to 21 January 2022. Studies reporting the association between COPD status and balance or functional capacity using clinical tests were included. Two independent reviewers examined the titles and abstracts, extracted the data using a standardised form, and assessed the risk of bias of the included articles. A total of 27 studies with 2420 individuals with stable COPD were included. Overall, the risk of bias in the included studies was low to moderate. The meta-analysis showed a higher history of falls in individuals with COPD (odds ratio 1.59, 95% CI 1.25-2.02). Furthermore, an overall effect in favour of the healthy controls was observed in the Timed Up and Go (mean difference: 2.61 s, 95% CI 1.79-3.43), Berg Balance Scale (mean difference: -6.57 points, 95% CI -8.31 to -4.83), static balance tests (standardised mean difference: -1.36, 95% CI -2.10 to -0.62) and the 6-min walk test (mean difference: -148.21 m, 95% CI -219.37 to -77.39). In conclusion, individuals with stable COPD have worse balance and functional capacity compared to healthy controls. These results may guide clinicians to elaborate on therapeutic strategies focused on screening of balance and functional impairments. This is in addition to generating rehabilitation guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of falling in people with COPD.

Acute exacerbation of COPD increases the risk of hip fractures: a nested case-control study from the Korea National Health Insurance Service

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Hip fracture and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) could increase mortality in patients with COPD. There are no data on the relationship between AE-COPD and hip fracture, which may significantly affect the prognosis of patients with COPD. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine the effects of AE-COPD on hip fractures in patients with COPD.

METHODS

This retrospective, nested, case-control study included 253,471 patients with COPD (≥ 40 years of age) identified from the Korea National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) from 2002 to 2015. Among 176,598 patients with COPD, 1,415 patients with hip fractures were identified. Each case was matched to one control for age (within 10 years), sex, and year of COPD diagnosis. We estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hip fractures associated with AE-COPD using conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting for underlying diseases and smoking history.

RESULTS

In patients with AE-COPD, the risk of hip fracture was 2.50 times higher, regardless of systemic corticosteroid use and underlying disease (aOR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.67 to 3.75). The risk of hip fracture increased if there was one episode of AE in the year before hip fractures (aOR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.66 to 3.05). Moreover, the risk of hip fracture also increased in patients with more than two episodes of AE the year before hip fractures (aOR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.61 to 4.10).

CONCLUSION

AE-COPD increases the risk of hip fracture regardless of underlying diseases, including osteoporosis, and treatment with systemic corticosteroids.

Predictors of lower limb fractures in general Japanese: NIPPON DATA90

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the incidence rates and predictors of lower limb fractures in a general Japanese population.

Methods

NIPPON DATA is a nationwide, long-term, prospective cohort study of individuals who participated in the National Cardiovascular Survey Japan and the National Nutrition Survey in 1990. Overall, 3,134 individuals (1,827 women, 1,307 men) who participated in follow-up assessments in 1995, 2000, and/or 2006 were included in the present analysis. The outcomes of this study were lower limb fractures (including proximal femur fractures).

Results

The mean age at baseline was 63.8 years in women and 63.1 years in men. The average body mass index (BMI) was 23.3 kg/m² in women and 22.9 kg/m² in men. During a mean follow-up of 12.1 years, 271 total lower limb fractures were observed. In women, older age, lower BMI, and less intake of vegetables were associated with increased risks of proximal femur fractures. With regard to the outcome of total lower limb fractures, less intake of vegetables and regular exercise were significant predictors in women. Calcium intake was not significantly associated with proximal femur or total lower limb fractures. There were no significant predictors of proximal femur or total lower limb fractures in men, except for age.

Conclusions

Aging was a significant risk factor for proximal femur and total lower limb fractures in both men and women. With regard to modifiable risk factors, low BMI and low intake of vegetables were associated with increased risks of proximal femur and/or total lower limb fractures in the general population of Japanese women.

Balance impairment and cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under 65 years

Objective

Balance and cognitive problems may develop in COPD. Studies investigating cognitive functions are mostly in elderly patients, and the number of studies on balance impairment is less than studies about cognitive dysfunction in COPD. We aimed to evaluate both balance and cognitive functions in patients with COPD under 65 years.

Methods

A total of 60 COPD patients and 60 healthy control group were enrolled. The patients with COPD were divided into two groups due to dyspnea severity. Demographic data and dyspnea scores of all patients were recorded. BECK depression scale, standardized Mini Mental Test (MMT), and BERG balance scale were applied to the individuals. Factors affecting BERG balance scale were evaluated.

Results

BERG balance scale and MMT values were found to be significantly lower in patients with COPD compared with the control group (p = 0.009). It was observed that the mean values of BERG balance scale and MMT were significantly low in the severe dyspnea group. BERG scale had significant correlations with MMT (rho = 0.331, p = 0.001), BECK (rho = −0.222, p = 0.016), age (rho = −0.318, p = 0.018), MMRC (rho = −0.368, p < 0.001), CAT (rho = −0.338, p = 0.008), FEV1% (rho = 0.307, p = 0.017), SpO₂ (rho = 0.448, p < 0.001), and number of hospitalization per year (rho = −0.316, p = 0.014). According to the results of multiple linear regression analysis, the effect of oxygen saturation on BERG was found to be statistically significant (B = 0.512, p = 0.008).

Conclusions

Balance tests in patients with COPD under the age of 65 are significantly low when compared with healthy controls at the same age. Balance and cognitive functions are significantly associated with each other. It may be beneficial to perform balance and cognitive function tests earlier even at the beginning of the treatment period of COPD, and strategies should be planned to prevent the progression of functional losses.

Osteoporosis epidemiology using international cohorts

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The field of osteoporosis research has been active for the past 20 years and has allowed significant advancement in the management of osteoporosis. This review will give an overview of the latest data from international cohorts that relate to current and recent osteoporosis research.

RECENT FINDINGS

The clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis relies heavily on bone mineral density (BMD) measured at femoral neck or spine and although BMD has excellent predictive value for future fractures, fracture risk assessment has evolved over the years, resulting in the birth of fracture prediction tools. Fracture risk factors not currently featured in these tools are being considered for inclusion, including imminent risk fracture following a sentinel fracture, number of falls, and previous vertebral fractures. Data from groups with comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are helping us understand how to best manage patients with multiple comorbidities. Finally, the prevalence of vertebral fracture in the older general population and other selected populations has been explored, alongside the global burden of osteoporosis and its consequences.

SUMMARY

Our understanding of osteoporosis continues to expand, but knowledge gaps remain.

The influence of cognitive load on static balance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

INTRODUCTION

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may demonstrate cognitive function and balance deterioration. These two phenomena are often realized simultaneously during daily living activities, where the risk of falling may be increased due to possible postural disturbance when focusing on a cognitive task during motion. Despite the high rate of falls in COPD, there is currently a lack of affordable clinical instruments to quantify the interaction between cognitive tasks and static balance in these patients. Therefore, this study aims to assess the balance perturbation induced by cognitive tasks using a new cost-effective protocol which can easily be implemented in clinical settings.

METHOD

A total of 21 COPD patients (Age: 64 ± 8 yrs, Forced Expiratory Volume in one second = 41 ± 17%, Women: 7) and 21 matched healthy controls participated in the study. They performed two cognitive tasks (counting backward by 3s and naming animals) with eyes open and with eyes closed. Each trial lasted 60 s, with balance-related parameters recorded and quantified using a Wii Balance Board. A three-way ANOVA (cognitive task, eyes action, and health status) for balance-related parameters derived from the center of pressure displacement was performed.

RESULTS

COPD, vision, and cognitive tasks altered the balance; no interaction between conditions was observed. There was no correlation between cognitive ability, respiratory function, and the balance-related parameters.

CONCLUSION

Compared to healthy controls, the COPD patients had impaired balance. Cognitive tasks altered postural control in both COPD and controls, where this alteration was more pronounced with eyes closed.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Incidence of Hip Fracture: A Nested Case-Control Study in the EpiChron Cohort

Purpose

To determine whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for hip fracture and identify other factors associated with hip fracture.

Patients and Methods

Observational nested case-control study was conducted in Aragon, Spain in 2010. We included COPD patients aged >40 years, in the EpiChron cohort. Each COPD patient was matched for age, sex, and number of comorbidities with a control subject without COPD. Patients with an existing diagnosis of osteoporosis and those with hip fracture before 2011 were excluded. We collected baseline demographic, comorbidity, and pharmacological treatment data. During a 5-year follow-up period, we recorded the incidence of hip fracture. A logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors associated with hip fracture.

Results

The study population consisted of 26,517 COPD patients and the same number of controls (median [interquartile range] age, 74 [17] years; women, 24.7%). Smoking and heart failure were more frequent in COPD patients, and obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, arthritis, and visual or hearing impairment were less frequent (all p<0.001). Consumption of benzodiazepines (p=0.037), bronchodilators (p<0.001), and corticosteroids (p<0.001) was higher in the COPD group, while that of beta-blockers and thiazides was lower (both p<0.001). During follow-up, 898 (1.7%) patients experienced hip fracture, with no differences observed between COPD and control patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that independent of COPD status, age, female sex, chronic liver disease, heart failure, and benzodiazepine use were independently associated with a higher risk of hip fracture, and obesity with a lower risk. In COPD patients, use of inhaled anticholinergics was independently associated with hip fracture (OR, 1.390; 95% CI 1.134-1.702; p=0.001).

Conclusion

COPD is not a risk factor for a hip fracture within 5 years. The association between the use of inhaled anticholinergics and risk of hip fracture warrants further study.

Inhaled corticosteroids in COPD and onset of type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis: matched cohort study

Some studies suggest an association between onset and/or poor control of type 2 diabetes mellitus and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and also between increased fracture risk and ICS therapy; however, study results are contradictory and these associations remain tentative and incompletely characterized. This matched cohort study used two large UK databases (1983–2016) to study patients (≥ 40 years old) initiating ICS or long-acting bronchodilator (LABD) for COPD from 1990–2015 in three study cohorts designed to assess the relation between ICS treatment and (1) diabetes onset (N = 17,970), (2) diabetes progression (N = 804), and (3) osteoporosis onset (N = 19,898). Patients had ≥ 1-year baseline and ≥ 2-year outcome data. Matching was via combined direct matching and propensity scores. Conditional proportional hazards regression, adjusting for residual confounding after matching, was used to compare ICS vs. LABD and to model ICS exposures. Median follow-up was 3.7–5.6 years/treatment group. For patients prescribed ICS, compared with LABD, the risk of diabetes onset was significantly increased (adjusted hazard ratio 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07–1.50), with overall no increase in risk of diabetes progression (adjusted hazard ratio 1.04; 0.87–1.25) or osteoporosis onset (adjusted hazard ratio 1.13; 0.93–1.39). However, the risks of diabetes onset, diabetes progression, and osteoporosis onset were all significantly increased, with evident dose–response relationships for all three outcomes, at mean ICS exposures of 500 µg/day or greater (vs. < 250 µg/day, fluticasone propionate–equivalent). Long-term ICS therapy for COPD at mean daily exposure of ≥ 500 µg is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, diabetes progression, and osteoporosis.

Hemiarthroplasty versus total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE

This study sought to delineate whether total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA) had more complication rates following the treatment of femoral neck fractures (FNF) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ACS-NSQIP database was queried for all patients with a history of COPD who had undergone THA and HHA with FNFs, isolated by CPT codes and ICD-9/ICD-10 codes. Propensity score matching without replacement in a 1:1 manner was done to control for patient demographics/preoperative comorbidities. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to assess the independent effect of HHA in comparison to THA.

RESULTS

The propensity-matched (PM) HHA cohort was significantly older (76.14 years vs. 73.33 years, p = 0.001) and had significantly higher rates of pneumonia (p = 0.017), extended length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.017), and mortality (p = 0.002), but lower rates of blood transfusions (p = 0.016) and reoperation (p = 0.020). HHA was independently associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (p = 0.043), extended LOS (p = 0.050), and death (p = 0.044) but a decreased risk for blood transfusions (p = 0.008) and reoperation (p = 0.028) when compared to THA.

DISCUSSION

Patients with more comorbidities are more likely to receive HHA than THA, which may explain some of the increased complications and mortality associated with HHA for FNFs compared to THA. Patients undergoing THA were at increased risk for blood transfusion and reoperation. THA does not appear to result in increased morbidity in this population compared to HHA. While THA should be considered in these patients given improved functional outcomes, further prospective studies are needed to establish superiority.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Influence of hospital adverse events and previous diagnoses on hospital care cost of patients with hip fracture

Previous diagnoses of patients with hip fracture influence the hospitalization cost of these patients, either directly or by increasing the risk of in-hospital adverse events associated with increased costs.

PURPOSE

To investigate how previous diagnoses influence the occurrence of in-hospital adverse events and how both factors impact on hospital costs.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of the hospital Minimum Basic Data Set. Patients aged 70 years or older admitted for hip fracture (HF) at a single University Hospital between January 2012 and December 2016. Both, previous diagnoses and adverse events, were defined according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9/ICD-10). The anticipated cost of each admission was calculated based on diagnosis-related groups and using the "all patients refined" method (APR-DRG). The occurrence of adverse events during hospital stay was assessed by excluding all diagnoses present on admission.

RESULTS

The record included 1571 patients with a mean (SD) age of 84 years. The most frequent previous diagnoses were diabetes (n = 432, 27.5%) and dementia (n = 251, 16.0%), and the most frequent adverse events were delirium (n = 238, 15.1%) and anemia (n = 188, 12.0%). The mean (SD) total acute care costs per patient were €8752.1 (1864.4). The presence of heart failure, COPD, and kidney disease at admission significantly increased the hospitalization cost. In-hospital adverse events of delirium, cardiac events, anemia, urinary tract infection, and digestive events significantly increased costs. The multivariate analyses identified kidney disease as a previous diagnosis significantly contributing to explain an increase in hospitalization costs, and delirium, cardiac disease, anemia, urinary infection, respiratory event, and respiratory infection as in-hospital adverse events significantly contributing to an increase of hospitalization costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although few baseline comorbidities have a direct impact on hospitalization costs, most previous diagnoses increase the risk of in-hospital adverse events, which ultimately influence the hospitalization cost.

Design of a Clinical Decision Support System for Fracture Prediction Using Imbalanced Dataset

More than 1 billion people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases worldwide, accounting for more than 4 million deaths annually. Inhaled corticosteroid is a popular medication for treating chronic respiratory diseases. Its side effects include decreased bone mineral density and osteoporosis. The aims of this study are to investigate the association of inhaled corticosteroids and fracture and to design a clinical support system for fracture prediction. The data of patients aged 20 years and older, who had visited healthcare centers and been prescribed with inhaled corticosteroids within 2002-2010, were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). After excluding patients diagnosed with hip fracture or vertebrate fractures before using inhaled corticosteroid, a total of 11645 patients receiving inhaled corticosteroid therapy were included for this study. Among them, 1134 (9.7%) were diagnosed with hip fracture or vertebrate fracture. The statistical results showed that demographic information, chronic respiratory diseases and comorbidities, and corticosteroid-related variables (cumulative dose, mean exposed daily dose, follow-up duration, and exposed duration) were significantly different between fracture and nonfracture patients. The clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) were designed with integrated genetic algorithm (GA) and support vector machine (SVM) by training and validating the models with balanced training sets obtained by random and cluster-based undersampling methods and testing with the imbalanced NHIRD dataset. Two different objective functions were adopted for obtaining optimal models with best predictive performance. The predictive performance of the CDSSs exhibits a sensitivity of 69.84-77.00% and an AUC of 0.7495-0.7590. It was concluded that long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids may induce osteoporosis and exhibit higher incidence of hip or vertebrate fractures. The accumulated dose of ICS and OCS therapies should be continuously monitored, especially for patients with older age and women after menopause, to prevent from exceeding the maximum dosage.

Thiazide diuretics and the risk of hip fracture after stroke: a population-based propensity-matched cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the association between thiazide use and the risk of hip fracture after stroke.

SETTING

A population-based, propensity-matched cohort study was conducted on the basis of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with newly diagnosed ischaemic stroke between 2000 and 2011 were included. After propensity score matching, 7470 patients were included, of whom 3735 received thiazides and 3735 did not.

OUTCOME MEASURES

HRs for developing hip fractures within 2 years after stroke were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression model with adjustments for sociodemographic and coexisting medical conditions.

RESULTS

Overall, patients using thiazides after stroke had a lower risk of hip fracture than those not using thiazides (8.5 vs 13.9 per 1000 person-years, adjusted HR=0.64, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.89, p=0.007). Further sensitivity analysis based on the duration of thiazide use revealed that the risk of hip fracture tended to decrease as the duration of exposure of thiazides increased. However, the effect was significant only in patients with long-term use of thiazides (using thiazides for >365 days within 2 years after stroke), with a 59% reduction in the risk of hip fracture when compared with patients not using thiazide (adjusted HR=0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.79, p=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term use of thiazides is associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture after stroke.

Gout Can Increase the Risk of Receiving Rotator Cuff Tear Repair Surgery

BACKGROUND

Gout commonly involves joint inflammation, and clinical epidemiological studies on involved tendons are scant. Rotator cuff tears are the most common cause of shoulder disability, and surgery is one of the choices often adopted to regain previous function.

PURPOSE

To investigate the risk of receiving rotator cuff repair surgery among patients with gout and to analyze possible risk factors to design an effective prevention strategy.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

The authors studied a 7-year longitudinal follow-up of patients from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005). This included a cohort of patients who received a diagnosis of gout during 2004-2008 (gout cohort) and a cohort matched by propensity scores (control cohort). A 2-stage approach that used the National Health Interview Survey 2005 was used to obtain missing confounding variables from the LHID2005. The crude hazard ratio (HR) and adjusted HR were estimated between the gout and control cohorts.

RESULTS

The gout and control cohorts comprised 32,723 patients with gout and 65,446 people matched at a ratio of 1:2. The incidence of rotator cuff repair was 31 and 18 per 100,000 person-years in the gout and control cohorts, respectively. The crude HR for rotator cuff repair in the gout cohort was 1.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-2.44; P < .01) during the 7-year follow-up period. After adjustment for covariates by use of the 2-stage approach, the propensity score calibration-adjusted HR was 1.60 (95% CI, 1.12-2.29; P < .01) in the gout cohort. Further analysis revealed that the adjusted HR was 1.73 (95% CI, 1.20-2.50; P < .001) among patients with gout who did not take hypouricemic medication and 2.70 (95% CI, 1.31-5.59; P < .01) for patients with gout aged 50 years or younger.

CONCLUSION

Patients with gout, particularly those aged 50 years or younger and without hypouricemic medication control, are at a relatively higher risk of receiving rotator cuff repair surgery. Strict control of uric acid levels with hypouricemic medication may effectively reduce the risk of rotator cuff repair.

Comparison of predictors of hip fracture and mortality after hip fracture in community-dwellers with and without Alzheimer's disease - exposure-matched cohort study

BACKGROUND

Dementia, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) being the most common form, is a major hip fracture risk factor, but currently it is not known whether the same factors predict hip fracture among persons with and without dementia/AD. We compared the predictors of hip fracture and mortality after hip fracture in persons with and without AD.

METHODS

An exposure-matched cohort of all community-dwellers of Finland who received a new clinically verified AD diagnosis in 2005-2011 and had no history of previous hip fracture (N = 67,072) and an age, sex, and region-matched cohort of persons without AD (N = 67,072). Associations between sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities and medications and risk of hip fracture and mortality after hip fracture were assessed with Cox regression.

RESULTS

As expected, the incidence of hip fractures in 2005-2012 (2.19/100 person-years vs 0.90/100 person-years in the non-AD cohort), as well as mortality after hip fracture (29/100 person-years vs 23/100 person-years in the non-AD cohort) were higher in the AD cohort. This difference was evident regardless of the risk factors. Mental and behavioural disorders (adjusted hazard ratio; HR 95% confidence interval CI: 1.16, 1.09-1.24 and 1.71, 1.52-1.92 in the AD and non-AD-cohorts), antipsychotics (1.12, 1.04-1.20 and 1.56, 1.38-1.76 for AD and non-AD-cohorts) and antidepressants (1.06, 1.00-1.12 and 1.34 1.22-1.47 for AD and non-AD-cohorts) were related to higher, and estrogen/combination hormone therapy (0.87, 0.77-0.9 and 0.79, 0.64-0.98 for AD and non-AD-cohorts) to lower hip fracture risk in both cohorts. Stroke (1.42, 1.26-1.62), diabetes (1.13, 0.99-1.28), active cancer treatment (1.67, 1.22-2.30), proton pump inhibitors (1.14, 1.05-1.25), antiepileptics (1.27, 1.11-1.46) and opioids (1.10, 1.01-1.19) were associated with higher hip fracture risk in the non-AD cohort. Similarly, the associations between mortality risk factors (age, sex, several comorbidities and medications) were stronger in the non-AD cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

AD itself appears to be such a significant risk factor for hip fracture, and mortality after hip fracture, that it overrules or diminishes the effect of other risk factors. Thus, it is important to develop and implement preventive interventions that are suitable and effective in this population.

Risk and clinical predictors of osteoporotic fracture in East Asian patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is becoming an impending epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region. The association between risk of osteoporotic fracture (OTPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in East Asian patients is yet to be fully examined. We conducted a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study of 98,700 patients aged ≥50 years with or without COPD using a national administrative claims dataset.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The patients were divided into COPD and comparison groups comprising 19,740 and 78,960 patients, respectively. The groups were 1 to 4 matched for age, gender, index date, diabetes mellitus, pre-existing osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease. Information such as the geographic area where southern part represented more sunshine exposure, smoking-related diagnoses, alcohol use disorder, whether there was regular use of inhaled corticosteroids and oral corticosteroids, vitamin D prescriptions, Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index score, and other relevant medical comorbidities were extracted for analysis. They were followed up until OTPF or the end of the year 2013. The outcome measure was an osteoporotic vertebral fracture and other long-bone fractures. A multivariate Cox model was constructed to derive adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for OTPF with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) after controlling for age, sex, insurance premium category, vitamin D prescription, osteoporosis, and coronary heart disease (CHD). Kaplan-Meier curves of the probability of OTPF-free survival for each cohort were compared using the log-rank test. Patients with OTPF during the first follow-up year were excluded from the overall risk calculation. Contributing factors to the increased risk of OTPF in COPD patients were examined in a sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

After a total follow-up of 68,743 patient-years for the COPD group and 278,051 patient-years for the matched comparison group, the HR for OTPF was 1.24 (95% CI [1.02-1.51]; P = 0.0322) in COPD patients. The aHR was increased by 30% for vertebral OTPF (aHR = 1.297, 95% CI [1.020-1.649]; P = 0.0339). Differential lag time sensitivity analysis revealed a progressively elevated risk up to 8-fold increase in women (aHR = 8.0 (95% CI [1.81-35.4]; P < 0.01)) during the fifth follow-up year. COPD patients with pre-existing osteoporosis or given vitamin D prescription harbor a sustained increased risk up to the 5th (aHR, 4.1; 95% CI [1.61-10.35]) and third (aHR, 2.97; 95% CI [1.48-5.97]) follow-up year, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our nationwide population-based cohort study demonstrates that East Asian COPD patients aged 50 and beyond do harbor a modestly increased risk for osteoporotic vertebral fractures particularly for those who are female, have pre-existing osteoporosis or require vitamin D prescription.

Airflow limitation as a risk factor for low bone mineral density and hip fracture

AIM

To investigate whether airflow limitation is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and risk of hip fractures.

METHODS

A community sample of 5,100 subjects 47-48 and 71-73 years old and living in Bergen was invited. Participants filled in questionnaires and performed a post-bronchodilator spirometry measuring forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). All attendants were invited to have a BMD measurement of the hip. During 10 years of follow-up, information on death was collected from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry, and incident hip fractures were registered from regional hospital records of discharge diagnoses and surgical procedure codes.

RESULTS

The attendance rate was 69% (n=3,506). The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (FEV1/FVC<0.7) was 9%. In multiple logistic regression, the lowest quartile of BMD versus the three upper was significantly predicted by FEV1/FVC<0.7 and FEV1% predicted (odds ratio [OR]: 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11 to 2.25, and OR per increase of 10%: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86 to 0.99, respectively). Hip fracture occurred in 126 (4%) participants. In a Cox regression analysis, FEV1% predicted was associated with a lowered risk of hip fracture (hazard ratio per increase of 10%: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.79 to 0.997).

CONCLUSION

Airflow limitation is positively associated with low BMD and risk of hip fracture in middle-aged and elderly.

Risks of all-cause and site-specific fractures among hospitalized patients with COPD

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a high prevalence of osteoporosis. The clinical sequel of osteoporosis is fracture. Patients with COPD who experience a fracture also have increased morbidity and mortality. Currently, the types of all-cause and site-specific fracture among patients with COPD are unknown. Thus, we elucidated the all-cause and site-specific fractures among patients with COPD.A retrospective, population-based, cohort study was conducted utilizing the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database.Patients with COPD were defined as those who were hospitalized with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code of 490 to 492 or 496 between 2001 and 2011. The index date was set as the date of discharge. The study patients were followed from the index date to the date when they sought care for any type of fracture, date of death, date of health insurance policy termination, or the last day of 2013. The types of fracture analyzed in this study included vertebral, rib, humeral, radial and ulnar/wrist, pelvic, femoral, and tibial and fibular fractures.The cohort consisted of 11,312 patients with COPD. Among these patients, 1944 experienced fractures. The most common site-specific fractures were vertebral, femoral, rib, and forearm fractures (radius, ulna, and wrist) at 32.4%, 31%, 12%, and 11.8%, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratios of fracture were 1.71 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.56-1.87] for female patient with COPD and 1.50 (95% CI = 1.39-1.52) for patients with osteoporosis after covariate adjustment.Vertebral and hip fractures are common among patients with COPD, especially among males with COPD. Many comorbidities contribute to the high risk of fracture among patients with COPD.