Epidemiology of Osteoporotic Fractures in the Very Frail Elderly: Risk factors, Quality of Life and Mortality

骨质疏松症是一种以骨骼脆弱为特征的疾病，是一个重大的公共卫生问题。在澳大利亚，仅治疗骨质疏松性骨折的直接费用估计就超过8亿美元。髋部骨折的治疗费用最高，90%以上的病例是由于跌倒或受伤造成的。体弱的老年人患骨质疏松性骨折的风险特别高，但人们对这一“风险”群体的骨折风险或骨折对生活质量的影响知之甚少。本研究通过定量骨超声、跌倒风险、维生素D状态和其他骨生化指标的评估，检查体弱和住院老年人骨折的危险因素，试图确定可以修改的预测因素，以减少骨折，提高生活质量，降低骨质疏松性骨折的死亡率。

Osteoporosis, a disease characterised by skeletal fragility, is a major public health problem. The direct costs alone of treating osteoporotic fractures have been estimated at more than $800 million in Australia. Hip fractures are the most costly to treat and are due to a fall or injury in over 90% of cases. The frail elderly are at particular risk of osteoporotic fractures but little is known about risk fractures in this 'at risk' group or the effect of fracture on quality of life. This study is examining risk factors for fractures in the frail and institutionalised older person by asessment of quantitative bone ultrasound, falls risk, vitamin D status and other biochemical markers of bone in an attempt to identify predictors that can be modified to reduce fractures, improve quality of life and reduce mortality due to osteoporotic fractures.