Incidence of fractures and clinical profile of patients following up at a Fracture Liaison Service in the city of Curitiba

Abstract

Background: Osteoporotic fractures are common, and their incidence are increasing worldwide. The first fracture doubles the risk of new fractures. Despite that, up to 80% of patients with a fragility fracture are evaluated or treated to reduce the risk of new fractures. Aims: To evaluate the results of the operation of the hospital Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) and to analyze the clinical characteristics of the patients attending the service in its first 2 years of operation and to estimate the fracture risk reduction ratio. Methods: The FLS managed patients older than 50 years who were admitted with a low-energy trauma fracture between January 2017 and April 2018. This management consists in a full medical evaluation, nutritional and physical activity guidance, and specific osteoporosis treatment, if needed. Results: We monitored and treated 135 patients. Forty percent of them had a previous fracture and only 20.3% of them received treatment to prevent new fractures. On Kaplan–Meier analysis, the estimated incidence of new fractures over 24 months was 12.1% (95% CI 7.2–20.8%), indicating that the percentage of patients without new fractures due to bone fragility during treatment was estimated at 87.9% (95% CI 79.2–92.8%). Conclusions: The evaluation and treatment of patients who sustained a fragility fracture to prevent a secondary fracture is effective in reducing the risk of new fractures in high-risk patients.