Concern at hip fractures among intellectual disability patients

People with intellectual disability suffer rates of hip fracture normally seen in patients up to 25 years older than them, according to a new analysis.

Oxford University researchers say the findings suggest these patients, who undergo regular medical checks, should be routinely screened for bone health.

The findings come from a study of 43,000 people with intellectual disability compared with 215,000 people without over a period of 20 years, ending in 2017. The findings were published in eClinicalMedicine.

They found that at the age of 45, women with intellectual disability suffered a rate of hip fracture similar to other women at the age of 60. Men of the same age were suffering fractures similar to men aged 70.

The researchers say they want to identify the reasons for the problem – which could be caused by sedentary lifestyle, unsteady gait or accompanying medical conditions.

Dr Valeria Frighi, a senior clinical research fellow in psychiatry, said: "The study has identified an important and currently unmet health need in the population with intellectual disabilities. GPs should consider addressing the issue of bone health during the yearly statutory health check offered to people with intellectual disabilities."�

Fellow researcher Margaret Smith, an epidemiologist at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Services, said: "We estimated that in 10,000 women over 50 years old with intellectual disability 53 would be expected to develop a hip fracture over one year compared to 23 in the general population. For men over 50 years old these numbers are 38 and 10 respectively."�

Incidence of fractures in people with intellectual disabilities over the life course: a retrospective matched cohort study eClinicalMedicine 30 September 2022

[abstract]

, ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Categories

Monthly Posts

Our Clients

BSH
Practice Index