This population-based study reveals clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of hospitalised osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures and indicates an association with a substantial hospital burden in Spain. These data provide a basis for assessing the impact of these fractures on the Spanish health-care system and to estimate future care requirements.
Introduction: Vertebral fractures (VF) are recognised as the most frequent complication of osteoporosis. Our objective was to determine the clinico-epidemiological characteristics and health-care burden of hospitalised VF in Spain.
Method: From the 2002 National Hospital Discharge Register, records for all osteoporosis-related VF in the Spanish population aged >or=30 years and over were retrieved. Diagnostic categories included the ICD-9-CM codes 805 and 733.xx. Population data were drawn from the National Statistics Institute.
Results: In total, 7,100 records were eligible for analysis. According to Deyo-adapted Charlson index, 62% of cases had no associated comorbidity. VF were the cause of hospitalisation in 52% of cases. Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.5%. Men had higher adjusted mortality than women. Mean hospital stay was 11.4+/-0.2 days. Identified cases amounted to a hospitalisation rate of 2.76 cases per 10,000 population aged >or=30 years. Direct inpatient hospital costs exceeded 41 million euros and accounted for 0.078% of Spanish expenditure on hospitalisations and specialised care in 2002.
Conclusions: The national discharge database reveals epidemiological features of hospitalised osteoporosis-attributable VF and indicates an association with a substantial hospital burden in Spain. Our data provide a basis for assessing the impact of these fractures on the Spanish health-care system and to estimate future care requirements.