Increased risk of fracture and postfracture adverse events in patients with diabetes: two nationwide population-based retrospective cohort studies

Abstract

Objective: The relationship between diabetes and fracture is not completely understood. This study evaluated fracture risk and postfracture mortality in patients with diabetes.

Research design and methods: We identified 32,471 adults newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2000-2003 using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort of 64,942 adults without diabetes was randomly selected from the same dataset, with frequency matched by age and sex. Fracture events in 2000-2008 were ascertained from medical claims. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of fracture associated with diabetes were calculated. A nested cohort study of 17,002 patients with fracture receiving repair surgeries between 2004 and 2010 calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs of adverse events after fracture in patients with and without diabetes.

Results: During 652,530 person-years of follow-up, there were 12,772 newly diagnosed fracture cases. The incidences of fracture for people with diabetes and without were 24.2 and 17.1 per 1,000 person-years, respectively (P < 0.0001). Compared with people without diabetes, the adjusted HR of fracture was 1.66 (95% CI 1.60-1.72) for people with diabetes. The ORs of postfracture deep wound infection, septicemia, and mortality associated with diabetes were 1.34 (95% CI 1.06-1.71), 1.42 (95% CI 1.23-1.64), and 1.27 (95% CI 1.02-1.60), respectively.

Conclusions: Diabetes was associated with fracture. Patients with diabetes had more adverse events and subsequent mortality after fracture. Prevention of fracture and postfracture adverse events is needed in this susceptible population.