Five-year risk of fracture and subsequent fractures among adults with cerebral palsy

Five-year risk of fracture and subsequent fractures among adults with cerebral palsy

Citation: Whitney DG, Clines GA, Leis AM, Caird MS, Hurvitz EA. Five-year risk of fracture and subsequent fractures among adults with cerebral palsy. Bone Rep. 2022 Aug 20;17:101613. doi: 10.1016/j.bonr.2022.101613.

Study type/Population: 20% random sample of >44,000 adults with cerebral palsy (CP) using US Medicare (fee for service) claims database, compared to >2 million older adults (>65yo) without CP.

Key findings: Young and middle-aged adults with CP have a higher number of fragility (non-trauma) fractures within a 5-year period compared to the general elderly population. The number of fractures and risk of developing further fractures was similar for young men and middle-aged women with CP compared to the elderly without CP. The proportion of fractures in the lower leg (tibia/fibula) decreased while the spine and multiple simultaneous sites (most involved hip/legs) increased with older age in those with CP.

Translation to practice: People with CP are at risk of fragility fractures. Fracture prevention efforts, as currently offered to the general elderly population, should commence in early adulthood for people with CP.