Introduction: Vertebral fractures (VF) are the most common osteoporotic fracture. They are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and are an important predictor of future fractures. The epidemiology of VF in Ireland is limited and a greater understanding of their scale and impact is needed. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of publications on osteoporotic VF in Ireland.
Methods: Systematic searches were conducted using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane electronic databases to identify eligible publications from Ireland addressing osteoporotic VF.
Results: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria out of 1558 citations. All studies were published since 2000. Data was obtained on 182,771 patients with fractures. Nine studies included more than 100 subjects and three included more than 1000. Females accounted for 70% with an overall mean age of 65.2 years (30-94). There was significant heterogeneity in study design, methods and outcome measures including the following: use of administrative claims data on public hospital admissions, surgical and medical interventions, the impact of a fracture liaison service and the osteoporosis economic burden. The prevalence of VF was difficult to ascertain due to definitions used and differences in the study populations. Only two studies systematically reviewed spine imaging using blinded assessors and validated diagnostic criteria to assess the prevalence of fractures in patient cohorts.
Conclusions: Several studies show that VF are common when addressed systematically and the prevalence may be rising. However, there is a deficit of large studies systematically addressing the epidemiology and their importance in Ireland.
Keywords: Epidemiology; Osteoporosis; Spine; Systematic review; Vertebral fracture.