Perimenopausal wrist fracture--an opportunity for prevention and management of osteoporosis.
OBJECTIVE
Review of Medscheme's administrative databases to study the relationship between hip fracture and previous wrist fracture in peri- and postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 1995-1998 data for women aged 50 and above hospitalised for management of wrist fracture. Those identified were subjected to further review to establish rates of osteoporosis and/or hip fracture. Osteoporosis and/or hip fracture rates were also determined for a control population.


METHODS
Osteoporosis investigation and management rates in controls v. subjects who had experienced a previous wrist fracture.


RESULTS
A total of 701 subjects was admitted to hospital for management of a wrist fracture between 1995 and 1998; and compared with 1,385 similarly aged controls. Diagnosis of osteoporosis and admission for hip fracture were more common in women who had experienced a previous wrist fracture (relative risk (RR) 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-2.03 for osteoporosis, and RR 3.32; 95% CI 1.16-9.69 for hip fracture). Of 10 hip fractures which occurred in the wrist fracture group, 9 were in women not diagnosed as having, or treated for, osteoporosis.


CONCLUSIONS
While women with a history of wrist fracture are more likely than controls to be tested and treated for osteoporosis, it nevertheless appears that insufficient attention is being paid to this premonitory event.
Rothberg
A D
AD
Medscheme (Pty) Ltd, 300 Kent Avenue, Randburg, 2125.
Matshidze
P K
PK
D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019992:Databases as Topic; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000209:etiology*
D004164:Diphosphonates; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium