Hamann‐Todd collection aging studies: Osteoporosis fracture syndrome

Abstract

The study presents a retrospective analysis of distal radius, proximal femur, vertebral, and sacral fractures that occurred in 938 Hamann-Todd Collection skeletons. Individuals included in the investigation were retrieved from dissecting room cadavers in Cleveland, Ohio, between the years 1910 and 1940. Demographic analysis showed that the mean ages at death for blacks and whites included in the study were 41.9 and 53.8 years, respectively. Evaluations of fracture repair status were made for all fractures that were identified. Observations that document side of involvement and unilateral/bilateral distribution were made for distal radius and hip fractures. It was found that the age-, sex-, and race-related fracture patterns which characterize the early 20th century Hamann-Todd sample strongly correspond in distribution and magnitude to those seen in modern American and European urban industrial communities. The distal radius, hip, vertebral, and sacral fractures which were identified in individuals over 60 years of age appear to be a primary result of skeletal fragility due to age progressive bone loss. However, it is suggested that the early onset and high frequency of distal radius fractures seen in climacteric Caucasian women may be more directly due to accidental falls initiated by a greater frequency, intensity, and duration of vasomotor disturbances which are known to accompanay estrogen withdrawal in perimenopausal white females.

Osteosynthesis in Distal Radius Fractures with Conventional Bridging External Fixator; Tips and Tricks for Getting Them Right

“…First peak is between ages 5 to 14, the second in males under 50 years of age and the third peak is in females over the age of 40 years [3][4][5]. There is a growing incidence of these fractures in all the three groups with significant increase in elderly females and younger adult males [4][5][6]. It is suggested that the two peaks represent two very different injury patterns: 1) An insufficiency fracture in elderly females [7]; 2) Traumatic injury in younger males.…”

Is Bony Evidence of Enthesial Reaction Sufficient for Differential Diagnosis?

“…Given the association of enthesial reaction with renal bone disease (hyperparathyroidism and osteomalacia) [41,42], hypertrophic osteoarthropathy [43], and syphilis [4,14,44], individuals with those diagnoses were excluded from the comparative sample designated as healthy. The health of the individuals studied was not distinguishable from that of contemporary living populations [31,45].…”

Estimation of age at death from the pubic symphysis and the auricular surface of the ilium using a smoothing procedure

“…Two European collections from documented cemeteries were studied: Conchada Cemetery, Coimbra, Portugal [30]; Spitalfields Cemetery, London, Great Britain [31]. We observed individuals from European origins of the Hammann-Todd collection, Cleveland, USA [32] and subjects with an African origin of the Dart collection, Johannesburg, South-Africa. The number of individuals in each collection according to sex are presented in Table 1.…”