Undiagnosed Vertebral Fractures Could Be the Cause of Back Pain

Undiagnosed vertebral fractures (VF) were associated with increased likelihood of symptoms of back pain and limitations in usual activity in older men, according to the findings of a recent study.

In their study, the researchers analyzed data from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, which included a cohort of 4396 men aged 65 years and older. Participants completed spin X-rays and symptom questionnaires at baseline and during a second visit conducted about 4.6 years later.
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Incident VFs were defined as either “clinical” if diagnosed or “radiographic-only” if undiagnosed. Prevalence ratios were calculated using multivariable-adjusted log binomial regression.

Back pain symptoms and limited activity were more likely to be reported at the follow-up visit by men with radiographic and clinical VF. Likewise, men with radiographic-only VF were significantly more likely to report any back pain, severe back pain, bother from back most/all the time, and limited usual activity from back pain at follow-up compared with men without VF (70% vs 59%, 8% vs 4%, 22% vs 13%, and 34% vs 18%, respectively).

“Results suggest incident radiographic-only VFs often were symptomatic, and were associated with both new and worsening back pain,” the researchers concluded. “Preventing these fractures may reduce back pain and related disability in older men.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Fink HA, Litwack-Harrison S, Ensrud KE, et al. Association of incident, clinically undiagnosed radiographic vertebral fractures with follow-up back pain symptoms in older men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study [published online September 7, 2017]. J Bone Miner Res. doi:10.1002/jbmr.3215.