Men at higher risk of fracture from falls compared to women, Study finds

Key findings of the meta-analysis include:

• Increased Fracture Risk: Individuals with a history of falls within the past year were found to have a significantly higher risk of any clinical fracture, osteoporotic fracture, major osteoporotic fracture, and hip fracture. One or more previous falls were significantly associated with an increased risk of death among women and men.
• Sex Disparities: The association between previous falls and fracture risk was observed to vary by sex, with men exhibiting higher predictive values compared to women.
• Independent Risk Factor: The increased fracture risk linked to previous falls was largely independent of bone mineral density, emphasizing the standalone significance of falls as a risk factor. A previous fall in the past year confers a significantly increased risk of any clinical fracture, osteoporotic fracture, and hip fracture with the increase in risk varying between 36% and 59% depending on the fracture outcome and sex.

These findings underscore the importance of incorporating previous falls into the FRAX algorithm,” Dr. Kiel added. Integrating this information into tools like FRAX can enhance their predictive accuracy and ultimately help health care providers to more accurately predict fracture risk and tailor preventive strategies accordingly to improve patient outcomes.

Reference:

Vandenput, L., Johansson, H., McCloskey, E.V. et al. A meta-analysis of previous falls and subsequent fracture risk in cohort studies. Osteoporos Int 35, 469–494 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-023-07012-1.