Smoking linked to higher risk of bone fractures, finds study

Hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in smokers with lung disease, but whether lung‐specific factors are associated with fracture risk is unknown.

The researchers conducted a study to evaluate whether lung‐specific factors associate with incident hip fracture and improve risk discrimination of traditional fracture risk models in smokers.

In the study of 9,187 adults who currently or formerly smoked, there were 361 new hip fractures reported over a median follow-up of 7.4 years. Known risk factors associated with experiencing a hip fracture included older age, female sex, osteoporosis, previous spine and hip fracture, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. Certain lung-specific risk factors--such as the presence of emphysema and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)--were also identified.

The researcher concluded that the findings suggest that the incorporation of lung‐specific risk factors into fracture risk assessment tools may more accurately predict fracture risk in smokers.

"We need to look beyond traditional risk factors when making osteoporosis screening and management decisions in our patients with COPD. A former smoker with frequent COPD exacerbations or significant emphysema on chest CT scan may be at greater risk of fracture than would be expected based on age or sex or other underlying comorbidities alone," said lead author Jessica Bon, MD, MS, of the University of Pittsburgh.

for further references log on to: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4103