Thiazide diuretics and the risk of hip fracture after stroke: a population-based propensity-matched cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the association between thiazide use and the risk of hip fracture after stroke. Setting A population-based, propensity-matched cohort study was conducted on the basis of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Participants Patients with newly diagnosed ischaemic stroke between 2000 and 2011 were included. After propensity score matching, 7470 patients were included, of whom 3735 received thiazides and 3735 did not. Outcome measures HRs for developing hip fractures within 2 years after stroke were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression model with adjustments for sociodemographic and coexisting medical conditions. Results Overall, patients using thiazides after stroke had a lower risk of hip fracture than those not using thiazides (8.5 vs 13.9 per 1000 person-years, adjusted HR=0.64, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.89, p=0.007). Further sensitivity analysis based on the duration of thiazide use revealed that the risk of hip fracture tended to decrease as the duration of exposure of thiazides increased. However, the effect was significant only in patients with long-term use of thiazides (using thiazides for > 365 days within 2 years after stroke), with a 59% reduction in the risk of hip fracture when compared with patients not using thiazide (adjusted HR=0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.79, p=0.008). Conclusions The long-term use of thiazides is associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture after stroke.