Prevalence of Frailty in Patients with Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture and Its Association with Numbers of Fractures

PURPOSE: To assess the association between frailty and osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) and to evaluate the relationship between numbers of OVCFs and frailty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 760 subjects, including 59 patients (with OVCF) and 701 controls (without OVCF). Successful matching provided 56 patient-control pairs. We analyzed principal clinical and demographic information, which included sex, age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), variable frailty phenotypes, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) scores. The association between frailty and OVCF was ascertained. In addition, the degrees of disability and quality of life attributable to frailty were determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty was significantly higher in the OVCF group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Most of the frailty phenotypes, such as exhaustion, physical inactivity, slowness, and handgrip strength, were also significantly observed in the OVCF group. Within the OVCF group, the participants with frailty had significantly higher disability and lower quality of life than those in a robust state (p < 0.001 for ODI and EQ-5D). In addition, the multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the patients with low BMI [odds ratio (OR)=0.704; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.543–0.913] and ≥3 fractures (OR=9.213; 95% CI, 1.529–55.501) within the OVCF group were associated with higher odds of frailty. CONCLUSION: The present study showed significant relationships between frailty and OVCF, severity of symptoms, and disability induced by OVCF. Furthermore, frailty could be a causal and/or resulting factor of OVCFs.

Cifoplastia percutanea con balón en fracturas por compresión de etiología no traumática en columna torácica y lumbar / Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty in non-traumatic lumbar and thoracic spinal compression fractures

Purpose: To describe our experience with percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of non-traumatic vertebral compression fractures. Material and Methods: Between march 2007 and June 2008, 25 vertebrae interventions were performed in 10 patients. Ten cases corresponded to osteoporotic fractures, while fifteen of them revealed a tumoral etiology. Vertebral compromise was evaluated via CT scan or MRI, as appropriate. We applied a percutaneous technique. Balloons were inserted into the vertebral body, and then inflated to create a cavity to be filled with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), which reduces and stabilizes the fracture, thus reducing pain. Results: The technique was performed successfully in al I cases. Pain intensity assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after the procedure showed a variation ranging from 4 to 7 levels per patient. The mean inicial VAS score was 7, whereas average final VAS was 1.2. The decrease in pain levels averaged 5.8 per intervention. Complications occurred in 7 levels: 3 cases of thoracic extravasations and 4 cases in lumbar spine. All of them were asymptomatic. No severe complications were reposed. Conclusions: Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty offers a good alternative treatment to conservative pain management in vertebral compression fractures.

Propósito: Describir nuestra experiencia en cifoplastía percutanea con balón en fracturas vertebrales debidas a compresión no traumática. Material y Métodos: Se intervinieron 25 vértebras en 10 pacientes, 15 lumbares y 10 torácicas, entre marzo 2007 y junio 2008. La etiología de las fracturas fue osteoporótica en 10 casos y tumoral en 15. Se evaluó el compromiso vertebral mediante tomografía computada o resonancia magnética, según el caso. La técnica fue percutanea; se insertaron balones en el cuerpo vertebral, que se inflaron, creando así una cavidad que se relleno inyectando polimetilme-tacrilato (PMMA), que redujo y estabilizó la fractura, disminuyendo así el dolor. Resultados: La técnica fue realizada satisfactoriamente en todos los casos. La intensidad del dolor medida según la Escala Visual Análoga (EVA), antes y después del procedimiento, varió entre 4 y 7 niveles por paciente. El EVA de ingreso promedio fue de 7, y el de egreso de 1.2. La disminución del dolor fue en promedio 5.8 niveles por intervención. Hubo complicaciones en 7 niveles: 3 casos de extravasación torácica y 4 en columna lumbar, todas asintomáticas. No hubo complicaciones severas. Conclusiones: La cifoplastía con balón es una buena alternativa analgésica al manejo conservador en fracturas vertebrales por compresión.

Pain reduction in patients with painful vertebral compression fractures undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is the most common complication of osteoporosis. It results in significant mortality and morbidity. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is a procedure that injects percutaneously bone cement into a collapsed vertebra. OBJECTIVE: To determine the results of PVP in pain reduction from osteoporosis VCF and its complications. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty-five patients (34 women, 1 man, 48-98 years) with persistent back pain due to VCF underwent 66 percutaneous injection of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) into the vertebrae (27 thoracic levels, 39 lumbar levels) under fluoroscopic guidance between December 2003 and July 2005. Severity of back pain was assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS) before and after the operation. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (91%) reported significant pain relief the mean VAS of 35 patients, before PVP and after an 8-week period, post-operatively, were 6.9 +/-1.8 and 2.0+/-1.8 (p = 0.001). There was only one minor complication. Two patients experienced intermittent sciatic shooting pain. This improved and disappeared within three months. CONCLUSION: P VP is a minimally invasive procedure providing safe, immediate, and sustained pain reduction in patients with refractory pain and disability caused by painful VCF