Type 2 Diabetes is Associated with Vertebral Fractures in a Sample of Clinic- and Hospital-Based Latinos

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health 2014-06, Vol.16 (3), p.440-449
• Main Authors: Kilpadi, K. L., ElDabaje, R., Schmitz, J. E., Ehler, B., Thames, T. A., Joshi, A. P., Simmons, J. W., Michalek, J. E., Fajardo, R. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Aged; Ambulatory Care Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Analysis; Body Composition; Body height; Bone density; Chi-Square Distribution; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Comparative Law; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - ethnology; Drug Use; Ethnic Groups; Ethnicity; Female; Fractures; Fractures, Spontaneous - diagnosis; Fractures, Spontaneous - epidemiology; Fractures, Spontaneous - ethnology; Health Sciences; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals; Hospitals - statistics & numerical data; Humans; International & Foreign Law; Logistic Models; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority Groups; Noncitizens; Odds Ratio; ORIGINAL PAPER; Physical Disabilities; Population; Prevalence; Private International Law; Prognosis; Public Health; Race; Records (Forms); Registries; Sample Size; Science; Scientific Concepts; Sex Distribution; Sociology; Spanish; Spinal Fractures - diagnosis; Spinal Fractures - epidemiology; Spinal Fractures - ethnology; Spine; Studies; Texas - epidemiology; White people; X-rays
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-013-9833-5

Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic population in the United States and type 2 diabetes is a major health burden in this population, but little effort has been made to study the prevalence of diabetic vertebral fragility in Latinos. We performed a cross-sectional study to determine vertebral fracture prevalence in a hospital-based population of South Texas residents (N = 296). We defined fractures in X-rays as a >20 % reduction in vertebral body height. Numerous variables were recorded, including age, body mass index, indicators of diabetes management and others. 71 % of the sample (N = 296) was Latino. The prevalence of vertebral fracture was increased in diabetic subjects relative to non-diabetic subjects (diabetic 27.9 %, non-diabetic 13.8 %) and, regardless of sex and diabetics status, decreased in Latinos relative to non-Latinos (Latino 16.7 %, non-Latino 26.4 %). These data suggest that vertebral fractures may be a growing concern for diabetic Latinos as well as diabetics of any racial/ethnic background.