Enhanced Risk of Osteoporotic Fracture in Patients with Sarcopenia: A National Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder associated with poor health outcomes in older adults. However, its association with the risk of fracture risk is yet to be clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence and consequence of osteoporosis-related fractures among patients with sarcopenia in Taiwan. A retrospective, population-based study on 616 patients with sarcopenia, aged >40 years, and 1232 individuals without sarcopenia was conducted to evaluate claims data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database collected in the period January 2000–December 2013. The incidence rate of osteoporosis-related fracture was 18.13 and 14.61 per 1000 person years in the patients with sarcopenia and comparison cohort, respectively. Patients with sarcopenia had a greater osteoporotic fracture risk (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47–3.04) after correcting for possible confounding. Additionally, females showed statistically significant correlations of sarcopenia with osteoporosis-related fracture risk (HR 1.53; CI 0.83–2.8 for males and HR 2.40, CI 1.51–3.81 for females). During this retrospective study on the fracture risk in Taiwan, an adverse impact of sarcopenia was observed, which substantiates the need to work toward sarcopenia prevention and interventions to reverse fracture susceptibility in patients with sarcopenia.

The Relationship Between the Time and Location Distribution of Falls in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients and Clinical Characteristics

“…This association may elucidate why participants who fell at night tended to have lower BMI and grip strength. Patients with sarcopenia are known to be more susceptible to hip fractures [29,30]. Despite most of these patients being accompanied by caregivers during the day and unable to perform daily activities independently, the risk of fall incidents may escalate when they need to visit the bathroom without caregivers at night.…”

Global epidemiological features and impact of osteosarcopenia: A comprehensive meta‐analysis and systematic review

“…As shown by research studies, the loss of skeletal muscle weakens bones, thereby decreasing BMD and raising the risk of fracture. 62,63 Bone decline, in turn, further exacerbates skeletal muscle deterioration, resulting in an increased risk of falls. 15,16 A vicious circle is thus formed between muscle and skeletal tissues.…”

“…Furthermore, patients with osteosarcopenia had a higher risk of fracture than those with either sarcopenia or osteoporosis/osteopenia (Figure S2). As shown by research studies, the loss of skeletal muscle weakens bones, thereby decreasing BMD and raising the risk of fracture 62,63 . Bone decline, in turn, further exacerbates skeletal muscle deterioration, resulting in an increased risk of falls 15,16 .…”

Risk of Fractures, Repeated Fractures and Osteoporotic Fractures among Patients with Hemophilia in Taiwan: A 14-Year Population-Based Cohort Study

“…Repeated fractures were defined as any new fracture at any site, with a diagnosis occurring more than 6 months after the first index fracture [25]. The osteoporotic fracture was defined as a fracture over the wrist, lumber spine or hip after 40 years of age (ICD-9:805,806,820,812-814), with at least 1 being seen in the admission files, as well as 3 or more being seen in 1 year of the outpatient files during the study period [26,27]. Any confounding factors, including hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, alcohol-related disease, thyrotoxicosis, dementia, obesity and osteoporosis were analyzed and compared among the PWH and control groups.…”