title: Comparison of Clinical Outcomes and Radiographic Measurements in 4 Different Treatment Modalities for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures: Retrospective Analysis.
abstract: METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database in a tertiary hospital over 10 years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Treatment for vertebral compression fractures remains an area of controversy with respect to timing and type of surgical management. We analyzed the clinical outcomes and radiographic measurements of 4 different modalities of treatment for these fractures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  From 2001 to 2011, we analyzed a total of 363 patients after failure of 30 days of conservative management. These patients were then further managed either conservatively or with vertebroplasty, balloon kyphoplasty, or sky bone expander. Outcomes were assessed by using self-report measures: Visual Analog Score; functional measures: Oswestry Disability Index and Short-Form 36; and physiological measures: preoperative and postoperative radiographs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome measures were assessed for 6 months for those treated conservatively and up till 2 years for those treated surgically. Radiographic measurements of the spine were correlated with the clinical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 62 patients (12.1%) were treated conservatively, 148 (40.8%) with vertebroplasty, 97 (26.7%) with balloon kyphoplasty, and 56 (15.4%) with sky bone expander. We found significant improvements in Visual Analog Score, Oswestry Disability Index, and Short-Form-36 scores for all groups after 1-month follow-up (P<0.05), with the surgical groups demonstrating a greater improvement in pain scores after the first postoperative day (P<0.0001) when compared with the conservative group. The improvements in outcomes in those treated surgically were sustained for up to 2 years with no significant difference (P>0.05) among the surgical groups. We also found significant improvement (P<0.005) in anterior vertebral and kyphotic wedge angle after surgical intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that early surgical intervention allows for quicker pain relief compared with conservative treatment, with similar improvements in anterior vertebral height and kyphotic wedge angle between all 3 groups of surgical management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Gerard Wen Wei
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ee
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Chang Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Seang Beng
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Phak Boon Benjamin
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Tow
authors.forename: Li Tat John
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wai-Mun
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D058498:Kyphoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D057566:Self Report; D016103:Spinal Fractures; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015625:Tissue Expansion Devices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods