Osteoporotic hip fractures in non-elderly patients: relevance of associated co-morbidities

Osteoporotic hip fractures (OHF) are not limited to elderly; however, studies in non-elderly are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate co-morbidities in non-elderly patients with OHF in a Community Teaching Hospital. All hospitalizations due to OHF during a 3-year period in a Community Teaching Hospital were retrospectively evaluated for co-morbidities, and patients 18–64 years old were compared with those ≥65 years old. Of all hospitalizations, 232 (0.73%) were due to hip fractures, and 120/232 (51.7%) patients had OHF. The comparison of the 13 (10.8%) OHF patients <65 years old (47.3 ± 9.7 years) with 107 (89.2%) ≥65 years old (80.4 ± 7.7 years) revealed a male predominance (61.5 vs. 27.1%, P = 0.022) and a distinct ethnic distribution with a lower proportion of Caucasians in the former (61.5 vs. 86.9%, P = 0.033). Moreover, non-elderly OHF patients had higher frequencies of insulin-dependent DM (38.5 vs. 3.7%, P = 0.001) and alcoholism (38.5 vs. 4.7%, P = 0.001) than aged patients. In contrast, rates of age-related co-morbidities such as stroke (7.7 vs. 18.7%, P = 0.461), heart failure (23.1 vs. 14.0%, P = 0.411), and dementia (7.7 vs. 15.9%, P = 0.689) were comparable in both groups. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that insulin-dependent DM (OR = 25.4, 95% CI = 4.7–136.8, P < 0.001) and alcoholism (OR = 20.3, 95% CI = 3.9–103.3, P < 0.001) remained as independent risk factors for OHF in non-elderly patients. Osteoporosis is an important cause of HF in Community Hospital. Non-elderly patients with OHF have a peculiar demographic profile and associated co-morbidities. These findings reinforce the need of early osteoporosis diagnosis and rigorous fracture prevention in patients with DM and alcoholism.