Effect of osteoporotic fractures similar to diabetes burden

(HealthDay)—Osteoporotic fractures and complications of diabetes similarly impact quality of life (QoL), according to a study published online Sept. 12 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

Zoltán Vokó, D.Sc., from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, and colleagues analyzed data from 840 patients with osteoporosis and 943 patients with diabetes to estimate the effect of osteoporotic fractures and microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes on QoL using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire.

The researchers found that the effects of certain of osteoporotic fractures and diabetes complications were similar in size, as measured by the EQ-5D. Patients with hip fractures and compressions of the vertebrae experienced drops in QoL comparable to the most severe complications of diabetes, such as vision loss and amputations.

"Our comparative analysis, which showed that osteoporotic fractures reduce QoL as much as major complications of diabetes, highlights the need for comprehensive disease burden assessment, including losses in functionality and QoL, to support decision making," the authors write.

The study was funded by Novartis Hungary Ltd. and Sandoz Hungary.