Depression and young age impact on hip fracture subsequent to stroke: A population-based cohort study

The purpose of this study is to identify whether depression and other associated factors in stroke are related to subsequent hip fracture.

There are very few studies that focus on depression and demographic impact on subsequent hip fracture after a stroke.

This a retrospective cohort study design.

The Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database between 1997 and 2010 was used. Two stroke patient cohorts were analysed: (1) depression within 1 year after newly diagnosed strokes; (2) without depression within 1 year after newly diagnosed strokes. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and hip fracture were compared using the Fine and Gray regression model for subdistribution hazard ratios.

Patients with depression showed a higher risk of hip fracture (95% CI, 0.99-1.66). Depression was associated with increased risk of hip fracture for patients below 50 years old (95% CI, 1.45-7.34). Comorbidities and gender showed no significant correlation with hip fracture risk in the depressed or nondepressed groups.

Poststroke depression was a significant contributor to hip fracture in patients who suffered strokes and had more negative impact on the younger population, regardless of the gender and presence of comorbidities.