The impact of subclinical vertebral fractures on health-related quality of life in women with osteoporosis

Vidmantas Alekna^{1, 2}, Marija Tamulaitienė^{2, 3}, Violeta Būtėnaitė^{1, 3}

¹Faculty of Medicine, ²Center of Gerontology and Rehabilitation, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, ³National Osteoporosis Center, Lithuania

Key words: osteoporosis, subclinical vertebral fracture, quality of life.

Summary. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of subclinical vertebral fractures on health-related quality of life in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

A disease-specific instrument, Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (QUALEFFO-41) questionnaire, developed to measure quality of life in patients with osteoporosis, was used. A total of 120 postmenopausal women who came for consultation were examined. Subclinical vertebral fractures were identified by standardized lateral radiographs. Patients were divided into three study groups according to bone mineral density and incident fracture status: group 1 (control group) – 40 women without osteoporosis, group 2 – 40 women with osteoporosis, but without vertebral fracture, and group 3 – 40 women with subclinical osteoporotic vertebral fracture. The last group was divided into two subgroups: with one fracture and with multiple vertebral fractures.

The mean total score of the QUALEFFO-41 for the control group was 34.12 (95% CI 30.27–37.96), for the group with osteoporosis, but without vertebral fracture – 36.51 (95% CI 33.56–39.45), and for the group with non-clinical osteoporotic vertebral fracture – 35.69 (95% CI 32.08–39.29). There were statistically significant differences in domains A (pain) and E (social function) between women with one non-clinical vertebral fracture and control group.

Our results showed no statistically significant differences in health-related quality of life, assessed QUALEFFO-41, between women with subclinical vertebral fractures and control group. Women with one subclinical vertebral fracture showed statistically significant worse results in pain, social function, and general health perception domains. Significantly greater changes in body appearance were noted among women with multiple subclinical vertebral fractures.

Correspondence to V. Alekna, Center of Gerontology and Rehabilitation, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, 08420 Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: vidmantas.alekna@ekmi.vu.lt

Received 31 January 2006, accepted 16 August 2006