Elevated hip fracture risk in type 1 diabetic patients: a population-based cohort study in Sweden

Patients with type 1 diabetes often have low bone mineral density, but epidemiological data on fracture risk are sparse and imprecise, particularly for men.

In the Swedish Inpatient Register, we identified a population-based cohort of 24,605 patients (12,551 men and 12,054 women) who were hospitalized for diabetes before age 31 years during 1975 through 1998. Follow-up for hip fracture was accomplished through cross-linkage in the Inpatient Register until the end of 1998. Censoring information was obtained from the registers of Death and Migration. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, we calculated the cumulative probability of getting a hip fracture. Standardized hospitalization ratios and their 95% CIs estimated relative risks with the age-, sex-, and calendar period-matched Swedish general population as reference.

In total, 70 and 51 first hip fractures were ascertained in men and women, respectively, corresponding to a cumulative probability (both sexes) of 65.8/1,000 until age 65 years. Markedly elevated risks were observed in both men and women (standardized hospitalization ratios = 7.6 [95% CI 5.9-9.6] and 9.8 [7.3-12.9], respectively), increasing with follow-up time. Ophthalmic, nephropathic, neurological, and cardiovascular complications were indicators of particularly high risks.

Both male and female type 1 diabetic patients are at increased risk for hip fracture. Although optimal preventive measures still need to be defined, the co-occurrence with other diabetes complications suggests that tighter metabolic control might reduce the risk.