January - March 2021, Volume 17, Issue 1

Dobre R, Niculescu DA, Cirstoiu C, Popescu G, Poiana C

Osteoporotic Hip Fracture Incidence Rates in the Main Urban Area of Romania

Acta Endo (Buc) 2021, 17 (1): 60-67
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2021.60

Context. Estimation of osteoporotic hip fracture incidence and Romanian FRAX model were based on nationally reported hospital ICD 10 coding admissions of all hip fractures (without a validation process). Objective. We aimed to calculate, based on individual hospital charts analysis, the incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture in the main urban area of Romania and compare it with data reported to the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH). Design. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of all patients (>40 years old) admitted for hip fracture in a 12-month period in hospitals with an Orthopedic Department in Bucharest and surrounding Ilfov County (11.8% of Romania population). Subjects and Methods. All ICD 10 fracture and event/fall codes were validated against the charts. We calculated the age and sex adjusted incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture and used the national reported hip fracture data base for comparison. Results. There were 2203 hip fractures of which 1997 (90.65%) were fragility fractures. The crude incidence of low-energy hip fractures was 171/100,000 (225/100,000 in women, 103/100,000 in men). The incidence rose with age to a maximum rate of 1902/100,000 in women >85 years. The NIPH-reported incidence of hip fracture was 181/100,000 for the region of interest and 176/100,000 at the national level. Conclusion. The incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture was lower than the incidence based on hip fractures reported codes in the national database, but the incidence of fragility fractures calculated by our group was higher than the incidence reported in previous national studies. Nationwide studies are warranted.

Keywords: osteoporotic hip fracture, incidence, FRAX, Romania.

Correspondence: Ramona Dobre MD, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dionisie Lupu, 24, Bucharest, 020021, Romania, E-mail: ramona.dobre@drd.umfcd.ro