title: Characteristics and circumstances of falls in hip fractures.
abstract: Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by a loss of bone mass and deterioration of bone microstructure that lead to a greater risk of fragility fractures. Fall is generally the main cause of fractures. Hip fractures are the most common ones and are usually correlated to a greater morbidity and mortality. The aim of our observational study was to evaluate, among patients with hip fragility fracture, characteristics and circumstances of falls. We conducted a national epidemiological survey, involving 80 physiatrists. They were asked to collect data on patients over 55 years of age who underwent a fragility fracture in the 12 months prior to recruitment. For each patient they had to fill a form including questions on different aspects of patients' medical history: age, gender, reason for the visit, type of fracture, number of falls in the last year and the year before the fall. Among 419 patients who sustained hip fracture, 70 had experienced a fall, while 119 were incurred in more falls in the 12 months before the fracture. In most people of our cohort, hip fracture was caused by a fall that occurred on the side during the morning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy, giovanni.iolascon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iolascon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gravina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gimigliano
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors