Epidemiology of osteoporotic fractures in Andalusia, Spain, from 2000-2010

The aim of this study was to examine the epidemiological data on osteoporotic fractures in Andalusia in the period 2000-2010. In view of the lack of epidemiological studies of fractures in Andalusia, we set out to ascertain the number and incidence rates of osteoporotic fractures and their distribution by gender and age, location, comorbidity, seasonality and secular trend.

Cohort study observed over a period of 11 years analysing the data provided by the Minimum Basic Data Set register for the period 2000-2010.

There were a total of 96,458 osteoporotic fractures, with a crude incidence rate of 374.18 fractures per 100,000 population. Fractures increased in this period by 27% (p<.01, IC 95%, 0.71; 0.73). We found a trend change in female/male ratio, from 3.4 to 3.2, and in the reduction in fractures in the last two years, especially in the past year, with a decrease of 11.2% in hip fractures (p<.001, IC 95%, 0.88; 0.895).

In this period, there has been an increase in fractures as a consequence of the ageing of the population, but also a change in trend, with fractures decreasing in some age groups. The incidence rate of fractures varies between different countries and regions of Spain, and between different provinces of Andalusia.