Evaluation of Hip Geometry Parameters in Patients With a Distal Radius Fracture

Background: Patients with a distal radius fracture (DRF) have an increased risk of subsequent fractures including hip fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether women with a DRF have certain hip geometry parameters known to indicate susceptibility to hip fractures. Methods: We compared bone min-eral density (BMD) and hip geometry parameters (hip axis length, neck shaft angle, mean cortical thickness, femur neck width, cross-sectional area [CSA], cross-sectional moment of inertia, section modulus, and buckling ratio) in 181 women with a DRF (DRF group) and 362 propensity score-matched women without a fracture (control group). We evaluated the associations between DRF and hip geometry parameters using logistic regression analysis. Results: The DRF group had lower hip BMD; lower cortical thickness, CSA, and section modulus; and higher buckling ratio than the control group (all p < 0.05). The occurrence of a DRF was significantly associated with decreases in neck shaft angle (odds ratio [OR], 1.047; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.008-1.088) and CSA (OR, 3.114; 95% CI, 1.820-5.326) after adjusting for age, BMI, and total hip BMD. Conclusions: In this study, women with a DRF were more likely than women without a DRF to have hip geometry parameters known to indicate susceptibility to hip fractures. Our results suggest that not only low hip BMD but also a decreased CSA could account for the increased risk of subsequent hip fracture in patients with a DRF.