Analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Objective To analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics in hospitalized patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures(OVCFs)and to provide certain evidence for prevention and treatment of the disease. Methods Retrospectively analyzedthe clinical data of 2 028 patients with OVCF from January 2009 to December 2018 in the Spine Department of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. The trend of composition ratio and average age of OVCF patients in the past ten years were observed, the differences of the demographic characteristics and clinical characteristics between different genders as well as the correlation between the number of fractured vertebral bodies of OVCF and various influencing factors were analyzed, and the characteristics of OVCF inpatients were summarized. Results Of 2 028 patients, 374 were males and 1654 were females.The average age was 70.50±9.73 years old, and the male is 73.29±10.23 and the female is 69.87±9.46. A significant increase in the constituent ratio of OVCF between 2009 and 2018 (6.85% in 2009 vs. 13.24% in 2013) and the mean age of OVCF patients increased from 67.54±9.92 years in 2009 to 70.96±9.63 years in 2018were identified.There were significant differences in age distribution of OVCFs in different gender. When the age was less than 70 years old,the fracture ratio of female was higher than that of males, especially between 60 and 70 years old (38.63%∶17.91%); However, when the age was more than 70 years, the fracture ratio of male was higher than that of female especially after 80 years old(29.15%:12.70%). There were significant differences in occupation distribution of OVCFs indifferent gender. Peasants (47.94%), professionals (18.32%) and workers (14.63%) were the top three in female while peasants (35.56%), workers (26.47%) and professionals(20.05%) in male. Falling was the main injury cause of OVCF and there were significant differences in the distribution of causes of OVCF injuries between different genders. The proportion of traffic accident injuries infemaleswas higher than that in maleswhile the proportion of sprains inmaleswas higher than that in females.Moreover,there was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of fracture vertebral bodies between patients of different ages, with or without fracture history and smoking history and different ages of menopause.Among them, the number of fractured vertebral bodies was positively correlated with age(r=0.79, P<0.05).The composition ratio of single vertebral fracture of patients without fracture history, menopausal ageunder 50 and withoutsmoking history was higher than that with fracture history, menopausal age over 50 and with smoking history. On the contrary,the composition ratio of two or more vertebral fractures in patients without fracture history and menopausal agebelow 50 was lower than thatwith fracture history and menopausal ageover 50. Particularly, the ratio of three or more vertebral fractures with smoking history was higher than thatwithout smoking history.The number of patients who adopted bone mineral density(BMD) test and bone turnover maker test was 118 and 106 before 2014 while the number was 568 and 837 after 2014 and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion The proportion of OVCFs in spine diseases and average age of patients in the period of 2009-2018 was increasing gradually. Distribution of the age,occupation and cause of injury were related to the gender, but there was no correlation between distribution of season, fracture segment and comorbidities and gender. The age, previous fracture history, female menopausal age and smoking history were correlated with the number of fractured vertebral bodies while drinking history was not related. Key words: Osteoporosis; Spinal fractures; Population characteristics; Disease attributes