Unveiling the Metabolic Mystery of Fragility Hip Fracture in Indian Patients: A Histomorphometric and Biochemical...

High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is being reported in Indian patients with fragility hip fracture. The gold standard to diagnose osteoporosis and osteomalacia is bone histomorphometry. There is no study evaluating histopathological histomorphometry in Indian fragility hip fracture patients. The purpose of the study was to evaluate fragility hip fracture patients for histopathological osteomalacia and osteoporosis by histomorphometry and to correlate histopathological findings with biochemical hypovitaminosis D.

A total of 55 patients of fragility hip fractures recruited for prospective cross-sectional study. During definitive fracture fixation of these fragility hip fractures, bone biopsy taken from neck region of femur by a novel approach for histomorphometry. Histomorphometric analysis was based on three indices, namely osteoid seam width, osteoblast surface, and osteoid surface. We also analysed blood bone biochemistry and correlated with bone histomorphometry.

In fragility hip fracture patients, the prevalence of histomorphometric osteoporosis and osteomalacia were very low (only 9.4% had osteoporosis and none had osteomalacia) however in blood bone biochemistry, we found high prevalence (85.5%) of hypovitaminosis D. We also noted significant changes when correlated bone histomorphometry with different blood bone biochemistry.

Indian patients with fragility hip fracture were found to have high prevalence of biochemical hypovitaminosis D but unlike western literature, there was low prevalence of histomorphometric osteoporosis with no evidence of histomorphometric osteomalacia. Correct knowledge about metabolic status of fragility hip fracture is required to improve outcome, decrease complications and to optimise cost of the treatment.