Quality of life issues in women with vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis.
OBJECTIVE
To learn about the physical, emotional, and social limitations experienced by postmenopausal women who have back pain due to vertebral fractures resulting from osteoporosis.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of female patients with persistent pain due to vertebral fractures.


RESULTS
Respondents had a mean (+/- SD) bone density of 0.87 +/- 0.13 gm/cm2 and a mean (+/- SD) of 2.84 +/- 2.18 fractures. Disability was identified in pain, movement, activities of daily living, and emotion. There was a poor correlation between quality of life and findings on radiography or densitometry.


CONCLUSIONS
To evaluate the effects of osteoporosis on a patient's functional status, direct questioning is required.
Department of Medicine, McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
D J
DJ
Cook
G H
GH
Guyatt
J D
JD
Adachi
J
J
Clifton
L E
LE
Griffith
R S
RS
Epstein
E F
EF
Juniper
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D016387:Women's Health