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Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

At the moment of occurrence of a fragility hip fracture, men have higher mechanical properties values in comparison with women

Authors: Ana C Vale, Inês P Aleixo, Miguel Lúcio, André Saraiva, Joana Caetano-Lopes, Ana Rodrigues, Pedro M Amaral, Luís G Rosa, Jacinto Monteiro, João E Fonseca, Maria F Vaz, Helena Canhão

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2013

Abstract

Background

It is well established that males have lower fracture risk in comparison with females, which suggests a higher bone resistance in men. The aim of our study was to find out if in older patients with hip fragility fractures, gender has also an impact on trabecular bone material behaviour, specifically to determine whether trabecular mechanical properties under compressive loading differ between men and women who suffered a fragility hip fracture.

Methods

Femoral epiphyses were consecutively collected during hip replacement surgery due to proximal femur fragility fracture. Trabecular bone cylinders were drilled and submitted to uniaxial compression tests and mechanical properties were assessed.

Results

Seventy-three patients, 55 women (mean age 81 years and standard deviation of 7 years) and 18 men (mean age 81 years and standard deviation of 8 years) were evaluated. The ultimate stress of trabecular bone was significantly higher in men than in women: the median values and the interquartile range (IQR) were respectively 8.04(5.35-10.90) MPa vs. 4.46(3.02-7.73) MPa, (p-value = 0.005). The same difference between male and female was observed in the Young’s modulus: 293.68(166.67-538.18) MPa vs. 174.26(73.07-322.28) MPa, (p-value = 0.028), and also in the energy to failure: 0.25(0.07-0.42) MJ/m³ vs. 0.11(0.05-0.25) MJ/m³, (p-value = 0.058). These differences were also verified after adjusting the analysis for age in a multivariate model analysis.

Conclusions

Our observations demonstrated that, even in a population who suffered a fragility hip fracture, men still have higher trabecular bone mechanical properties in comparison with women.

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/14/295/prepub

Title: At the moment of occurrence of a fragility hip fracture, men have higher mechanical properties values in comparison with women
Authors: Ana C Vale
Inês P Aleixo
Miguel Lúcio
André Saraiva
Joana Caetano-Lopes
Ana Rodrigues
Pedro M Amaral
Luís G Rosa
Jacinto Monteiro
João E Fonseca
Maria F Vaz
Helena Canhão
Publication date: 01-12-2013
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-14-295

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At the moment of occurrence of a fragility hip fracture, men have higher mechanical properties values in comparison with women

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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