Kaewboonchoo O, et al. – This retrospective study was carried out to determine the relationship between burn injury and hip fracture risk. The association between burn injury and an increased risk of hip fracture was observed in this study. In addition, diabetes and osteoporosis were associated with an enhanced risk.

Methods

• The authors applied insurance data of Taiwan and identified 16,430 burn patients in 2000–2010 and a comparison cohort of 65,716 persons without the history of burn, frequency matched by sex, age, and diagnosis date.
• To the end of 2011, both cohorts were followed up in order to determine the risk of hip fracture.

Results

• Patients with burn injury were 1.62-fold more likely than comparisons to encounter a hip fracture (6.95 vs. 4.28 per 1000 person-years), with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.40–1.68). 
• The fracture incidence increased with age and was slightly greater for women than for men in both cohorts.
•  The fracture risk was greater for patients with burn in the eyes, face, and head with an incidence of 7.14 per 1000 person-years, or an aHR of 2.09 (95% CI = 1.53, 2.86). 
• Findings revealed that diabetes and osteoporosis were also associated with an increased hip fracture risk.