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Osteoporos Int (2006) 17:17261733 DOI 10.1007/s00198-006-0172-4
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
An estimate of the worldwide prevalence and disability associated with osteoporotic fractures
O. Johnell & J. A. Kanis
Received: 23 January 2006 / Accepted: 16 May 2006 / Published online: 16 September 2006 # International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation 2006
Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to quantify the global burden of osteoporotic fracture worldwide. Methods The incidence of hip fractures was identified by systematic review and the incidence of osteoporotic fractures was imputed from the incidence of hip fractures in different regions of the world. Excess mortality and disability weights used age- and sex-specific data from Sweden to calculate the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost due to osteoporotic fracture. Results In the year 2000 there were an estimated 9.0 million osteoporotic fractures of which 1.6 million were at the hip, 1.7 million at the forearm and 1.4 million were clinical vertebral fractures. The greatest number of osteoporotic fractures occurred in Europe (34.8%). The total DALYs lost was 5.8 million of which 51% were accounted for by fractures that occurred in Europe and the Americas. World-wide, osteoporotic fractures accounted for 0.83% of the global burden of non-communicable disease and was1.75% of the global burden in Europe. In Europe, osteoporotic fractures accounted for more DALYs lost than common cancers with the exception of lung cancer. For chronic musculo-skeletal disorders the DALYs lost in Europe due to osteoporosis (2.0 million) were less than for osteoarthrosis (3.1 million) but greater than for rheumatoid arthritis (1.0 million).
Conclusion We conclude that osteoporotic fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the developed countries.
Keywords Disability-adjusted life-years . Hip fracture . Mortality . Noncommunicable diseases
Introduction
Several studies have quantified the global burden of osteoporosis as judged by the current and predicted number of hip fractures [13]. The most recent study also quantified the global morbidity arising from hip fractures. In this study there were an estimated 1.31 million new hip fractures in 1990, and the prevalence of patients with disability due to hip fracture was estimated at 4.48 million [3]. There were 1.75 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost, representing 0.1% of the global burden of disease worldwide and 1.4% of the burden for...