Osteoporotic fracture admissions compared to other major medical admissions in Irish public hospitals

D O 'Sullivan; C Silke; B Whelan; B McGowan; M O 'Sullivan; J P McCabe; F Heaney; C Armstrong; A M Gsel; B Connaughton; J J Carey

doi:10.1007/s11657-022-01199-2

Osteoporotic fracture admissions compared to other major medical admissions in Irish public hospitals

Arch Osteoporos. 2022 Dec 17;18(1):12. doi: 10.1007/s11657-022-01199-2.

Authors

D O 'Sullivan¹, C Silke^{2

3}, B Whelan^{2

3}, B McGowan², M O 'Sullivan^{2

3}, J P McCabe^{1

2}, F Heaney⁴, C Armstrong⁴, A M Gsel^{2

4}, B Connaughton⁴, J J Carey^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland.
² School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91 V4AY, Ireland.
³ Department of Rheumatology, Our Lady's Hospital, Manorhamilton, Ireland.
⁴ Department of Rheumatology, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland.
⁵ School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91 V4AY, Ireland. John.j.carey@nuigalway.ie.
⁶ Department of Rheumatology, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland. John.j.carey@nuigalway.ie.

PMID: 36527534
DOI: 10.1007/s11657-022-01199-2

Abstract

Multinational reports suggest Ireland has one of the greatest illness burdens related to osteoporosis. Hospital care represents the costliest portion of health services. We found public hospital bed days for fragility fractures in Ireland increased by 43% between 2008 and 2017 which exceeded those for other common diseases.

Introduction: Recent multinational reports suggest Ireland has one of the greatest illness burdens related to osteoporosis, manifesting clinically as fragility fractures (FF). International reports show that FF incidence, rate of hospital admission and cost are similar or greater than those for breast cancer, myocardial infarction and stroke. Studies addressing the illness burden of osteoporosis in Ireland are few, and none compares fragility fractures to other common chronic diseases.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of national administrative data for all public hospital admissions was performed on adults aged 50 years and older from January 2008 to December 2017.

Results: In 2017, public hospital bed days for FF totalled 249,887 outnumbering Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): 131,897; 6 solid cancers (CA): 118,098; myocardial infarction (MI): 83,477; and diabetes mellitus (DM): 31,044. Bed days for FF increased by 43% between 2008 and 2017, in contrast to a 32%, 28% and 31% reduction for CA, MI and DM, respectively, and a 12% increase for COPD. Public hospital bed days for FF in 2016 were greater than MI, stroke, atrial fibrillation and chest pain combined but less than a combination of COPD, pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection.

Conclusion: Osteoporotic fractures represent a large and rapidly increasing illness burden amongst older Irish adults, with substantial care requirements and the resulting onus on our healthcare system. Urgent action is needed to address this public health issue and the services for those at risk of fracture.

Keywords: Burden of illness; Fragility fractures; Ireland; Osteoporosis.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Diabetes Mellitus*
Hospitals, Public
Humans
Middle Aged
Myocardial Infarction* / complications
Myocardial Infarction* / epidemiology
Osteoporosis* / complications
Osteoporosis* / epidemiology
Osteoporotic Fractures* / epidemiology
Osteoporotic Fractures* / etiology
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / complications
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Stroke* / complications
Stroke* / epidemiology