title: Non-hip, non-spine fractures drive healthcare utilization following a fracture: the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW).
abstract: We evaluated healthcare utilization associated with treating fracture types in >51,000 women aged ≥55 years. Over the course of 1 year, there were five times more non-hip, non-spine fractures than hip or spine fractures, resulting in twice as many days of hospitalization and rehabilitation/nursing home care for non-hip, non-spine fractures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to evaluate medical healthcare utilization associated with treating several types of fractures in women ≥55 years from various geographic regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) was collected via self-administered patient questionnaires at baseline and year 1 (n = 51,491). Self-reported clinically recognized low-trauma fractures at year 1 were classified as incident spine, hip, wrist/hand, arm/shoulder, pelvis, rib, leg, and other fractures. Healthcare utilization data were self-reported and included whether the fracture was treated at a doctor's office/clinic or at a hospital. Patients were asked if they had undergone surgery or been treated at a rehabilitation center or nursing home.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 1-year follow-up, there were 195 spine, 134 hip, and 1,654 non-hip, non-spine fractures. Clinical vertebral fractures resulted in 617 days of hospitalization and 512 days of rehabilitation/nursing home care; hip fractures accounted for 1,306 days of hospitalization and 1,650 days of rehabilitation/nursing home care. Non-hip, non-spine fractures resulted in 3,805 days in hospital and 5,186 days of rehabilitation/nursing home care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While hip and vertebral fractures are well recognized for their associated increase in health resource utilization, non-hip, non-spine fractures, by virtue of their 5-fold greater number, require significantly more healthcare resources.
authors.affiliation: St. Joseph's Hospital, McMaster University, 501-25 Charlton Ave E, Hamilton, ON, L8N 1Y2, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flahive
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Chapurlat
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Saag
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gehlbach
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Hooven
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boonen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Compston
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díez-Perez
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greenspan
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Netelenbos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeilschifter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Sambrook
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Siris
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Adachi
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy