Elsevier

Bone

Volume 18, Issue 3, Supplement 1, March 1996, Pages S179-S183
Bone

Original article
Vertebral fracture epidemiology

https://doi.org/10.1016/8756-3282(95)00499-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Vertebral fractures are the most common but least understood of all osteoporotic fractures. Their study has been hampered by the lack of a common morphometric definition, and the fact that many vertebral fractures are asymptomatic and not clinically evident. Population-based radiographic surveys are therefore required for comparative studies. Risk factors fall into five major categories: (1) age, or age-related, (2) genetic, (3) environmental, (4) endogenous hormones or chronic diseases, and (5) physical characteristics of bone. Bone density is the most clinically useful risk factor, particularly for purposes of prevention. Because vertebral fracture prevalence parallels levels of bone density, bone density is also useful for epidemiological surveys. Based on WHO diagnostic criteria, 54% of postmenopausal white women in the United States have osteopenia, and another 30% have osteoporosis. Existing fractures are also strong, independent predictors of future vertebral fracture risk, but also represent a later, and less treatable, stage of the disease.

References (24)

  • A. Nomura et al.

    Comparison of bone mass between Japan-born and US-born Japanese subjects in Hawaii

    Bone Miner

    (1989)
  • P.D. Ross et al.

    A model for estimating the potential costs and savings of osteoporosis prevention strategies

    Bone

    (1988)
  • D. Agnusdei et al.

    Prevalence of vertebral fractures in Italy: The EVOS Study

    J Bone Miner Res

    (1995)
  • E. Barrett-Connor

    The economics and human costs of osteoporotic fractures

    Am J Med

    (1995)
  • C. Cooper

    Epidemiology of vertebral fractures in western populations

    Spine: State of the art reviews

    (1995)
  • C. Cooper et al.

    Incidence of clinically diagnosed vertebral fractures: A population-based study in Rochester, Minnesota, 1985–1989

    J Bone Miner Res

    (1992)
  • C. Cooper et al.

    The epidemiology of vertebral fractures

    Bone

    (1993)
  • M. Härmä et al.

    Thoracic spine compression fractures in Finland

    Clin Orthop

    (1995)
  • C. Johansson et al.

    Prevalence of vertebral fractures in 85-year-olds

    Acta Orthop Scand

    (1993)
  • E.M.C. Lau et al.

    The diagnosis, prevalence of and risk factors for vertebral fractures in Hong Kong Chinese—A comparison with American Caucasians

    J Bone Miner Res

    (1995)
  • T. Mann et al.

    Vertebral deformity in men

    J Bone Miner Res

    (1992)
  • L.J. Melton

    Epidemiology of vertebral fractures

  • Cited by (0)

    View full text