Characteristics and circumstances of falls in hip fractures

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by a loss of bone mass and deterioration of bone microstructure that lead to a greater risk of fragility fractures. Fall is generally the main cause of fractures. Hip fractures are the most common ones and are usually correlated to a greater morbidity and mortality. The aim of our observational study was to evaluate, among patients with hip fragility fracture, characteristics and circumstances of falls. We conducted a national epidemiological survey, involving 80 physiatrists. They were asked to collect data on patients over 55 years of age who underwent a fragility fracture in the 12 months prior to recruitment. For each patient they had to fill a form including questions on different aspects of patients’ medical history: age, gender, reason for the visit, type of fracture, number of falls in the last year and the year before the fall. Among 419 patients who sustained hip fracture, 70 had experienced a fall, while 119 were incurred in more falls in the 12 months before the fracture. In most people of our cohort, hip fracture was caused by a fall that occurred on the side during the morning.