The incidence of fragility fractures in Italy

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2013 Oct:25 Suppl 1:S13-4. doi: 10.1007/s40520-013-0071-4. Epub 2013 Sep 18.

Abstract

Osteoporosis can significantly impact on the risk of developing a fracture. Thus, fragility fractures represent a challenge for health professionals and decision makers of the twenty-first century. The aim of this work is to review the literature concerning osteoporotic fractures in Italy in terms of incidence, rate of hospitalization, relative risk of a new fragility fracture, and costs for the national health system. It was estimated that the costs of treating proximal femur fragility fractures in 2002 summed up to 1 billion Euros. The number of fragility fractures in Italy was calculated as follows: 91.494 hip fractures, 61.009 clinical vertebral fractures, 57.401 humeral fragility fractures, and 94.045 forearm/wrist fragility fractures. The incidence of fragility fractures in Italy is very high, and osteoporosis is the leading cause of morbidity in the Italian population.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging
  • Female
  • Forearm Injuries / economics
  • Forearm Injuries / epidemiology
  • Fractures, Bone / epidemiology*
  • Health Care Costs
  • Hip Fractures / economics
  • Hip Fractures / epidemiology
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Humeral Fractures / economics
  • Humeral Fractures / epidemiology
  • Incidence
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / epidemiology*
  • Risk
  • Spinal Fractures / economics
  • Spinal Fractures / epidemiology