Incidence rate of osteoporotic hip fracture in Qatar

SUMMARY: The incidence rate of osteoporotic hip fracture is essential to formulate a national fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX). In this epidemiological study, the incidence rate of osteoporotic hip fracture in Qatar was comparable to that in regional countries, and lower than that in North America and European countries. PURPOSE: Estimate the annual incidence rate (IR) of osteoporotic hip fractures (OHF) in Qatar from January 2017 to December 2019. METHODS: Hamad Medical Corporation is a government-based tertiary medical institute. Hip fractures were captured by using the International Classification of Diseases-10 hip fracture codes. The patient records were reviewed retrospectively to identify fracture mechanisms. The observed census in 2017 and the estimated censuses of 2018 and 2019 were used to calculate the age-sex-specific annual IR of OHF in the population aged ≥ 40 years. The world population in 2010 was used to calculate the age-adjusted standardized IR in the population aged ≥ 50 years. RESULTS: In total, 458 hip fractures were identified; 75 (16.4%) were due to high-energy trauma, and 9 (2%) were pathological hip fractures. The total number of OHF was 374 (81.7%). OHF was slightly higher in men (215, 57.5%). The median age (IQR) of the patients was 69 years (56–78 years). In 2017, 2018, and 2019, the age-adjusted standardized IR of OHF per 100,000 with the corresponding 95% CI was 141.7 (141.1–142.2), 140.8 (140.2–141.3), and 162.7 (162.0–163.2) for the whole Qatar population; 154.2 (153.6–154.7), 105.2 (104.7–105.7), and 176.6 (175.9–177.1) for Qataris; and 134.8 (134.3–135.4), 183.9 (183.3–184.6), and 160.4 (159.8–161.0) for non-Qataris, respectively. CONCLUSION: The annual age-adjusted standardized IR of OHF per 100,000 inhabitants aged ≥ 50 years in Qatar was comparable to that in regional countries, and lower than that in North America and European countries.