Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041

Purpose: Our aim was to calculate rates of major fractures by fracture location in elderly Norwegians over the years 2010 to 2021 and thereby estimate the volume of fractures in this population by 2041. Methods: We identified fractures in persons aged 65 years and over from the Norwegian Patient Re...

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Main Authors: Jørgen Andvig, Lars G Johnsen, Sara M Nilsen, Gudrun W Bjørnelv, Andreas Asheim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Journals Sweden 2025-02-01
Series:Acta Orthopaedica
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Online Access:https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/42634
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author Jørgen Andvig
Lars G Johnsen
Sara M Nilsen
Gudrun W Bjørnelv
Andreas Asheim
author_facet Jørgen Andvig
Lars G Johnsen
Sara M Nilsen
Gudrun W Bjørnelv
Andreas Asheim
author_sort Jørgen Andvig
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: Our aim was to calculate rates of major fractures by fracture location in elderly Norwegians over the years 2010 to 2021 and thereby estimate the volume of fractures in this population by 2041. Methods: We identified fractures in persons aged 65 years and over from the Norwegian Patient Registry. We summarized age- and sex-specific numbers of fractures and incidence rates by fracture location. Extrapolating adjusted incidence rates combined with population projections from Statistics Norway, we estimated the expected numbers of fracture cases for the following 20 years. Results: The total number of major fractures rose from 22,581 in 2010 to 27,596 in 2021. While the number of hip fractures was relatively stable (8,164 to 8,194 over the period), there were substantial increases in the number of fractures in the upper extremities, spine and pelvis, and lower extremities. Annual changes in incidence rates adjusted for age and sex were 0.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4–0.7), 1.2% (CI 0.9–1.4), 0.4% (CI 0.1–0.7), and –1.9% (CI –2.0 to –1.7) for upper extremity, spine and pelvis, lower extremity, and hip respectively. Extrapolating trends in incidence rates, we estimate a 64% (95% prediction interval 48–70) overall increase in the number of major fractures by 2041 compared with 2021, primarily due to the aging of the population. Conclusion: Incidence rates of hip fractures decreased over the period, while rates of other major fractures increased. We can expect a substantial increase in the number of fractures over the coming years, primarily due to the expected aging of the population.
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spelling doaj-art-9c89b2bf954e4669b4b27f5eef505a322025-08-20T03:13:14ZengMedical Journals SwedenActa Orthopaedica1745-36741745-36822025-02-019610.2340/17453674.2024.42634Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041Jørgen Andvig0Lars G Johnsen1Sara M Nilsen2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6762-9645Gudrun W Bjørnelv3Andreas Asheim4epartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Molde Hospital, Klinikk SNR, Møre & Romsdal Health Trust; Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NorwayDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim; Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayCenter for Health Care Improvement, St. Olav’s University Hospital, Trondheim; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norwayepartment of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Department of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo, NorwayCenter for Health Care Improvement, St. Olav’s University Hospital, Trondheim; Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Trondheim, Norway Purpose: Our aim was to calculate rates of major fractures by fracture location in elderly Norwegians over the years 2010 to 2021 and thereby estimate the volume of fractures in this population by 2041. Methods: We identified fractures in persons aged 65 years and over from the Norwegian Patient Registry. We summarized age- and sex-specific numbers of fractures and incidence rates by fracture location. Extrapolating adjusted incidence rates combined with population projections from Statistics Norway, we estimated the expected numbers of fracture cases for the following 20 years. Results: The total number of major fractures rose from 22,581 in 2010 to 27,596 in 2021. While the number of hip fractures was relatively stable (8,164 to 8,194 over the period), there were substantial increases in the number of fractures in the upper extremities, spine and pelvis, and lower extremities. Annual changes in incidence rates adjusted for age and sex were 0.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4–0.7), 1.2% (CI 0.9–1.4), 0.4% (CI 0.1–0.7), and –1.9% (CI –2.0 to –1.7) for upper extremity, spine and pelvis, lower extremity, and hip respectively. Extrapolating trends in incidence rates, we estimate a 64% (95% prediction interval 48–70) overall increase in the number of major fractures by 2041 compared with 2021, primarily due to the aging of the population. Conclusion: Incidence rates of hip fractures decreased over the period, while rates of other major fractures increased. We can expect a substantial increase in the number of fractures over the coming years, primarily due to the expected aging of the population. https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/42634FracturesOsteoporosis
spellingShingle Jørgen Andvig
Lars G Johnsen
Sara M Nilsen
Gudrun W Bjørnelv
Andreas Asheim
Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
Acta Orthopaedica
Fractures
Osteoporosis
title Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
title_full Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
title_fullStr Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
title_full_unstemmed Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
title_short Falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly Norwegians: a study of fracture rates in the Norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021, extrapolated to 2041
title_sort falling rates but projected rising numbers of fractures in elderly norwegians a study of fracture rates in the norwegian patient registry from 2010 to 2021 extrapolated to 2041
topic Fractures
Osteoporosis
url https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/42634
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