Chronologically clustered osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: Analysis of a case series
Abstract
AIM: To provide quality care to older adults, healthcare professionals should be aware that osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) might occur sequentially in the same patient, involving different vertebral bodies, each separated by short intervals. This situation is called chronologically clustered OVCFs (CCOVCF).
METHODS: A total of 40 patients with CCOVCFs (index cohort) were retrospectively analyzed, and compared with 40 patients having only one OVCF (comparison cohort). All fractures were treated with percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty.
RESULTS: In the index cohort, the number of patients having the second, third, fourth and fifth OVCF events within 3 months were 40, 15, five and two, respectively. Recurring pain or seemingly non-stop pain were the major reasons why new OCVFs were found. The average interval between pain relief provided by percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty and radiographic diagnosis of new OVCFs was significantly longer than that between pain relief and a new episode of disabling pain (26.7 ± 16.8 vs 16.4 ± 15.8 days, P < 0.0001), reflecting how shortly new OCVFs occurred after successful surgery, and how often they were neglected. The mean T-score of the index cohort was significantly lower than that of the comparison cohort (-3.66 ± 0.79 vs -3.17 ± 0.80, P = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: CCOVCFs make a patient seem constantly in pain, despite repeated admissions and operations. Recurrent symptoms after an effective procedure should be taken as a…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health. Reported size: 40 participants or records.
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