Hospitalised osteoporotic vertebral fractures in Spain : Analysis of the national hospital discharge registry

• Published in: Osteoporosis international 2007-05, Vol.18 (5), p.649-657
• Main Authors: BOUZA, C, LOPEZ, T, PALMA, M, AMATE, J. M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Comorbidity; Databases, Factual; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Epidemiology; Female; Fractures; Health Care Costs; Health care expenditures; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - economics; Humans; Injuries of the limb. Injuries of the spine; Length of Stay; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Older people; Osteoporosis; Osteoporosis - complications; Osteoporosis - epidemiology; Osteoporosis - mortality; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; Patient Discharge - statistics & numerical data; Population Surveillance - methods; Sex Distribution; Spain - epidemiology; Spinal Fractures - epidemiology; Spinal Fractures - etiology; Spinal Fractures - mortality; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Women
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-006-0292-x

This population-based study reveals clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of hospitalised osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures and indicates an association with a substantial hospital burden in Spain. These data provide a basis for assessing the impact of these fractures on the Spanish health-care system and to estimate future care requirements. Vertebral fractures (VF) are recognised as the most frequent complication of osteoporosis. Our objective was to determine the clinico-epidemiological characteristics and health-care burden of hospitalised VF in Spain. From the 2002 National Hospital Discharge Register, records for all osteoporosis-related VF in the Spanish population aged >or=30 years and over were retrieved. Diagnostic categories included the ICD-9-CM codes 805 and 733.xx. Population data were drawn from the National Statistics Institute. In total, 7,100 records were eligible for analysis. According to Deyo-adapted Charlson index, 62% of cases had no associated comorbidity. VF were the cause of hospitalisation in 52% of cases. Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.5%. Men had higher adjusted mortality than women. Mean hospital stay was 11.4+/-0.2 days. Identified cases amounted to a hospitalisation rate of 2.76 cases per 10,000 population aged >or=30 years. Direct inpatient hospital costs exceeded 41 million euros and accounted for 0.078% of Spanish expenditure on hospitalisations and specialised care in 2002. The national discharge database reveals epidemiological features of hospitalised osteoporosis-attributable VF and indicates an association with a substantial hospital burden in Spain. Our data provide a basis for assessing the impact of these fractures on the Spanish health-care system and to estimate future care requirements.