J Korean Orthop Assoc.
1997 Feb;32(1):46-52.
The Relationship between the Fracutures of the Hip and the Bone Mineral Density over Fifty years
Abstract
- Osteoporosis has been described as the most common disease in the old age group. As the bone mineral density decreases, the skeleton becomes more prone to fracture. Hip fractures occur late in life following substantial reduction in skeletal mass. So the incidence of hip fracture is increasing due to prolongation of average life span. The bone density of femoral neck, Ward triangle, and trochanteric region were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 15 patients with femoral neck fractures and in 58 patients with intertrochanteric fractures to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) value and fracture type. The results were as follows 1. In femoral neck fracture group, the mean BMD value was 0.59+/-0.02 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.38+/-0.08 g/cm2 in Ward triangle and 0.48+/-0.09 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In intertrochanteric fracture group, the mean BMD value was 0.57+/-0.09 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.39+/-0.10 g/cm2 in Ward triangle, and 0.47+/-0.13 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. 2. In femoral neck fracture group, the fracture threshold value was 0.75 g/cm 2 in femoral neck, 0.60 g/cm2 in Ward triangle and 0.67 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In intertrochanteric fracture group, the fracture threshold value was 0.63 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.51 g/cm2 in Ward triangle, and 0.57 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In conclusion, there was no statistical relationship in BMD value between neck fracture and intertrochanter fracture group, and no statistical relationship between BMD value and each fracture type in femoral neck and intertrochanter fracture. The type of hip fracture may be related to the degree of trauma rather than the value of the BMD.