The impact of fragility fracture on health-related quality of life : the importance of antifracture therapy.
Both general and specific health status instruments can be utilised in evaluating health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) deficits resulting from osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporotic hip, vertebral and wrist fractures significantly decrease HR-QOL in most HR-QOL domains investigated. The presence of multiple vertebral fractures leads to larger decrements in HR-QOL. More research needs to be completed with these HR-QOL tools to better assess the true burden of osteoporotic fractures, particularly in the case of hip fractures, as the burden is surely being underestimated without recognition of HR-QOL. Only when the burden of fragility fractures is understood, inclusive of HR-QOL, will the value of proven antifracture prevention and treatment therapies be appreciated. Information collected by HR-QOL instruments may provide new insight as to how to improve quality of life for patients with fractures and how to properly allocate healthcare spending.
St Joseph's Healthcare, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Ted
T
Xenodemetropoulos
Shawn
S
Davison
George
G
Ioannidis
Jonathan D
JD
Adachi
D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic