Association between hypertension and fragility fracture: a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Bone Metabolism

Background:

• Hypertension is a known risk factor for fractures, but its independence from bone mineral density (BMD) requires clarification.
• Investigating the relationship between hypertension, BMD, and fracture incidence is crucial for understanding osteoporosis risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the interrelationships between hypertension, bone mineral density (BMD), and osteoporotic fracture risk.
• To determine if hypertension is an independent risk factor for fractures in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Study included 1,032 men and 1,701 women (≥50 years) from the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study.
• Bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; hypertension assessed via interview and clinical history.
• Fragility fractures identified by X-ray reports; Cox proportional hazards model used for risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Women with hypertension had significantly lower femoral neck BMD compared to normotensive women.
• Hypertension was identified as an independent risk factor for fragility fractures in women (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.13-1.96).
• In men, hypertension correlated with higher femoral neck BMD but not statistically significant fracture risk.

Conclusions:

• Hypertension is an independent risk factor for increased fracture risk in women.
• The association between hypertension and fracture risk in women is not explained by bone mineral density (BMD).