Trends in the incidence of hip fracture in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain: 2007-2011 versus 1989-1993

Hip fracture incidence in the Canaries was studied in two 5-year periods (1989-1993 and 2008-2011). The incidence in 2007-2011 was 24% higher than in 1989, but did not differ between 2007-2011 and 1993. These findings suggest a trend to stabilize the incidence of hip fracture. Introduction A dramatic increase in hip fractures between 1988 and 2002 was reported in Northern Spain. We performed the present study in Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands, to compare changes in the incidence of hip fracture between 1989-1993 and 2007-2011. Methods We recorded every osteoporotic hip fracture admitted to any hospital in Gran Canaria in the population 50 years of age or older. Results In 1989-1993, we collected 1175 hip fractures (72 % women; mean age 78.2 +/- 9.9 years), and the total incidence rate was 152.1 cases/100,000 population/year. In 2007-2011, we collected 2222 hip fracture cases (71 % women; mean age 79 +/- 9.8 years). The total incidence was 180.9/100,000/year. A Poisson model showed that the incidence of fractures increased by 7.1 % (95 % CI=3.1 %; 11.8 %) each year in 1989-1993, while there was no statistically significant variation (p=0.515) during the period 2007-2011. The incidence in 2007-2011 was 24% higher than in 1989 (first year in the first period) but did not differ between 2007-2011 and 1993 (the last year of the first period). Incidence rates were 76.7 % (95 % CI=63.9 %; 90.5 %) higher in women than in men, but the female/male ratio remained unchanged. The age-adjusted incidence of hip fractures increased by 7.3 % each year from 1989 to 1993. The proportions of trochanter and cervical fractures were similar in the two time periods, but the mean hospital stay was reduced from 11 days in 1989-1993 to 7 days in 2007-2011. Conclusions These findings suggest a trend to stabilize the incidence of hip fracture in the Canary Islands due to a decrease in men, while in women, the incidence increased.