OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the Fracture Liaison service (FLS) in preventing secondary fracture and decreasing 1-year mortality rate after osteoporotic hip fracture, in patients at Police General Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted. We studied male and female patients, 50 years of age and older, who presented with a fragility fracture around the hip due to low energy trauma and were admitted to Police General Hospital, participating in PGH's Liaison service from April 1, 2014—March 30, 2015. The sample size was 75 patients, with a follow up time of 1 year. The data from this study was compared with that of a previous study done by Tanawat A. et al. [9] prior to commencement of the FLS project. RESULTS: After a follow up period of 1 year, the mortality rate was measured to be 10.7% and there was no evidence of secondary fragility fracture. Post-injury bone mineral density follow up and osteoporotic medication treatment rates were 48% and 80%, respectively. Patients who participated in the project were found to have a decreasing rate of secondary fracture from 30% to 0% (P < 0.0001), an increasing post-injury BMD follow up rate from 28.3% to 48% (P = 0.0053), and an increase in post-injury osteoporotic medication administration rate from 40.8% to 80% (P = 0.0148), all with statistical significance. However, the 1-year mortality rate was not significant (P = 0.731) when compared to the previous study. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with recent hip fractures participating in the Fracture Liaison service had a significantly higher post-injury BMD follow up and osteoporotic medication administration rates. This resulted in a lower risk of secondary fracture than those who did not participate in the Fracture Liaison service at a follow up time of one year.
Bone Density ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Osteoporosis ; Police* ; Prospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Thailand*

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of fracture liaison service (FLS) after 5-year implementation to close the secondary fracture care gap, ensuring that patients receive osteoporosis assessment, intervention, and treatment, therefore, reducing the fracture risk at Police General Hospital (PGH). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. We studied male and female, ≥ 50 years old who presented with a fragility hip fracture and participated in PGH’s FLS from April 1, 2014–March 31, 2019 (5 years implementation). The sample size was 353 patients, with 1-year follow-up. The data were compared with a previous study, before the commencement of the FLS. Results: After 1-year follow up, the mortality rates were 5.95% and there were only 8 patients who had secondary fractures (2.93%), which showed a decrease of 30% from before FLS implementation. Post-injury bone mineral density (BMD) rates were increased from 28.33% to 85.84%, osteoporosis treatment rates were increased from 40.8% to 89.38%, and the time to surgery and hospitalization decreased from 7.9 to 5.0 days, and 23.2 to 19.6 days, respectively, all with statistical significance (P < 0.001). However, the 1-year mortality rates were not significant when compared to the previous study. Conclusions Patients with fragility hip fractures participating in FLS after 5-year implementation at PGH had significantly higher post-injury BMD and osteoporosis treatment rates and significantly shorter in time to surgery and hospitalization. This showed that secondary fracture rates were lower than before the project at 1-year of follow up.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of fracture liaison service (FLS) after 5-year implementation to close the secondary fracture care gap, ensuring that patients receive osteoporosis assessment, intervention, and treatment, therefore, reducing the fracture risk at Police General Hospital (PGH). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. We studied male and female, ≥ 50 years old who presented with a fragility hip fracture and participated in PGH’s FLS from April 1, 2014–March 31, 2019 (5 years implementation). The sample size was 353 patients, with 1-year follow-up. The data were compared with a previous study, before the commencement of the FLS. Results: After 1-year follow up, the mortality rates were 5.95% and there were only 8 patients who had secondary fractures (2.93%), which showed a decrease of 30% from before FLS implementation. Post-injury bone mineral density (BMD) rates were increased from 28.33% to 85.84%, osteoporosis treatment rates were increased from 40.8% to 89.38%, and the time to surgery and hospitalization decreased from 7.9 to 5.0 days, and 23.2 to 19.6 days, respectively, all with statistical significance (P < 0.001). However, the 1-year mortality rates were not significant when compared to the previous study. Conclusions Patients with fragility hip fractures participating in FLS after 5-year implementation at PGH had significantly higher post-injury BMD and osteoporosis treatment rates and significantly shorter in time to surgery and hospitalization. This showed that secondary fracture rates were lower than before the project at 1-year of follow up.

Objectives: To compare bone mineral density (BMD) in Thai postmenopausal women with and without distal radius fracture, and to investigate the role of vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) in diagnosing osteoporosis after distal radius fracture. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Thai postmenopausal women with and without distal radius fracture. BMDs of the femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH), lumbar spine (LS), and VFA were obtained within 2 weeks of injury. BMD were compared between groups. Participants were classified into osteoporosis, osteopenia or normal using BMD alone, and BMD plus VFA, where a mere presence of vertebral compression fracture indicated osteoporosis. Results: Fifty postmenopausal women with distal radius fractures and 111 non-fracture postmenopausal women participated. The mean BMD was significantly lower at all sites in the fracture group (FN BMD 0.590 ± 0.075 vs 0.671 ± 0.090, p = 0.007; TH BMD 0.742 ± 0.103 vs 0.828 ± 0.116, P = 0.009; LS BMD 0.799 ± 0.107 vs 0.890 ± 0.111, P = 0.009 in the fracture vs non-fracture group respectively). VFA increased the prevalence of osteoporosis from 16 (32%) to 23 (46%) in the fracture group, and 7 (6.31%) to 17 (16.22%) in the non-fracture group, with a number needed to treat 9. Conclusions Postmenopausal women with distal radius fractures had lower BMD. Incorporating VFA into diagnosis of osteoporosis increased the prevalence of osteoporosis in both fracture and non-fracture groups. Postmenopausal women aged 50 years or older with distal radius fracture are a good target for the investigation of osteoporosis.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess outcomes and patient's mortality of Police General Hospital's fracture liaison service (PGH's FLS) during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak comparing to the former period. Methods: Retrospective cohort study was performed in patients aged 50 or older who were admitted with fragility hip fracture in Police General Hospital, Bangkok, between January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 (before pandemic) comparing to January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 (pandemic) using the electronic database. The outcomes were mortality and other outcomes in one-year follow up. Results: A total of 139 fragility hip fractures were recorded in 2018–2019 (before pandemic) compared with 125 in 2020–2021 (pandemic). The 30-day mortality in hip fracture numerically increased from 0% to 2.4% during the pandemic. One-year mortality was significantly escalated from 2 cases (1.4%) to 5 cases (4%) (P = 0.033). However, the cause of mortality was not related with COVID-19 infection. We also found a significantly shorter time to surgery but longer wait time for bone mineral density (BMD) testing and initiation of osteoporosis medication in pandemic period. Conclusions The results of this study in COVID-19 pandemic period, 1-year mortality rate was significantly higher but they were not related with COVID-19 infection. We also found longer time to initial BMD testing and anti-osteoporotic medication and more loss of follow up, causing lower anti-osteoporotic medication taking. In contrast, the time to surgery became shorter during the pandemic.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol in raising 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in Thai female healthcare workers. Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted in healthy female healthcare workers. Randomization allocated the participants into vitamin D2 group (N = 43), receiving ergocalciferol 20,000 IU weekly and vitamin D3 group (N = 40), receiving cholecalciferol 1000 IU daily for 12 months. Venous blood sample was collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months for serum 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone and calcium. Compliance was also assessed. Results: The mean age of the participants was 50.6 ± 9.9 and 50.9 ± 8.4 years in vitamin D2 and D3 groups (P = 0.884). The mean 25(OH)D levels were 16.91 ± 6.07 ng/mL and 17.62 ± 4.39 ng/mL (P = 0.547), respectively. Both groups had significant improvement in 25(OH)D level at 6 months (from 16.91 ± 6.07 to 21.67 ± 5.11 ng/mL and 17.62 ± 4.39 to 26.03 ± 6.59 ng/mL in vitamin D2 and D3 group). Improvement was significantly greater with cholecalciferol (P = 0.018). The level plateaued afterwards in both groups. Only cholecalciferol could increase 25(OH)D in participants without vitamin D deficiency (6.88 ± 4.20 ng/mL increment). Compliance was significantly better in vitamin D2 group (P = 0.025). Conclusions Daily cholecalciferol supplementation resulted in a larger increase in serum 25(OH)D level during the first 6 months comparing to weekly ergocalciferol. While vitamin D3 could increase serum 25(OH)D level in all participants, vitamin D2 could not do so in participants without vitamin D deficiency.