CORR Insights^®: Are Race and Sex Assessment Associated With the Occurrence of Atypical Femoral Fractures?

Excerpt

The introduction of bisphosphonates to osteoporosis treatment is associated with a decrease in vertebral fractures by 70%, hip fractures by 40% to 50%, and peripheral fractures by 20% [2]. However, bisphosphonates are also associated with atypical femoral fractures, which can cause substantial morbidity; they present with minimal trauma in the subtrochanteric and femoral shaft, and they have a specific radiologic appearance. These fractures often are associated with prolonged (exceeding 5 years) bisphosphonate treatment. To address this problem, the Association for Bone and Mineral Research established a task force and released two reports [4, 5] that created criteria for atypical femoral fractures, while also addressing the risk and pathophysiology of these injuries. …