Study of incidence of osteoporotic fractures in a cohort of individuals older than 50 years from Asturias, Spain, after a 6 year follow-up period

BACKGROUND: The present work, performed as follow-up of the prevalence study of vertebral fractures (EVOS Study), evaluates in a 6 year period the incidence of vertebral fractures and other osteoporotic fractures in Oviedo (Asturias, Spain) in people alder than 50 yeats. SUBJECTS ANO METHODS: The study was performed in a cohort from the Oviedo's local registry in 1986. 624 men and women were followed by 3 postal questionnaires. The first questionnaire referred to the history of fails and fractures that happened during the follow-up period performed. Between the 2(nd) and 3(rd) follow-up subjects were invited to repeat the X-rays previously performed in the initial study. RESULTS: The incidence of osteoporotic fractures was higher in women than in men. In both sexes, vertebral fracture was the one which reached the highest incidence. Compared with men, Colles' fracture in women occurred earlier, with 5 times higher incidence. The incidence of hip fracture was twice higher in women than in men. A prevalent vertebral fractures increased until 5 times the incidence of vertebral and hip fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Among the osteoporotic fractures, vertebral fracture bad a highest incidence values in both sexes. Although vertebral and hip fractures were twice incident in women compared with men, the incidence of Colles fracture was five times higher in women. A pre-existing vertebral fracture is an important risk factor to develop a new vertebral or hip fracture.