Quality of life in osteoporotic patients with hip fracture and without fracture

The aim of this study was to analyse the quality of life in osteoporotic patients with hip fracture and those without fractures. The study included postmenopausal women, 35 with hip fracture and 33 without fractures. The control group included 44 age-matched healthy women. Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQL). Patients with hip fracture had significantly lower scores in symptoms, physical function and leisure (P < 0.05), than patients without fractures. Both groups of patients had significantly lower scores than controls in all domains except Leisure. Analysing several health and social factors that could influence HRQL, we found that bone mass in spine and femoral neck significantly correlated with HRQL. Since patients with osteoporosis usually have no symptoms before fracture, early diagnosis and the treatment of the disease are of key importance to the quality of life in these patients.