Costs and quality of life associated with osteoporosis-related fractures in Sweden

Byline: Fredrik Borgstrom (1,2), Niklas Zethraeus (3), Olof Johnell (4), Lars Lidgren (5), Sari Ponzer (6), Olle Svensson (7), Peter Abdon (8), Ewald Ornstein (9), Karl Lunsjo (10), Karl Goran Thorngren (5), Ingemar Sernbo (4), Clas Rehnberg (1), Bengt Jonsson (3) Keywords: Costs; Fracture; Osteoporosis; Quality of life Abstract: This prospective observational data collection study assessed the cost and quality of life related to hip, vertebral and wrist fracture 1 year after the fracture, based on a patient sample consisting of 635 male and female patients surviving a year after fracture. Data regarding resource use and quality of life related to fractures was collected by questionnaires at baseline, 4 months and 12 months. Information was collected by the use of patients' records, register sources and by asking the patient. Quality of life was estimated with the EQ-5D questionnaire. Costs were estimated from a societal perspective, including direct and indirect costs. The mean fracture-related cost the year after a hip, vertebral and wrist fracture were estimated, in euros (a!), at a!14,221, a!12,544 and a!2,147, respectively [converted from Swedish krona (SEK) at an exchange rate of 9.1268 SEK/a!]. The mean reduction in quality of life was estimated at 0.17, 0.26 and 0.06 for hip, vertebral and wrist fracture, respectively. Based on the results, the yearly burden of osteoporosis in Sweden could be estimated at a!0.5 billion (SEK 4.6 billion). The patient sample for vertebral fracture was fairly small and included a high proportion of fractures leading to hospitalization, but they indicate a higher cost and loss of quality of life related to vertebral fracture than previously perceived. Author Affiliation: (1) Medical Management Centre, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (2) Stockholm Health Economics, Klarabergsgatan 33 3tr, 111 21, Stockholm, Sweden (3) Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden (4) Department of Orthopaedics, Malmo General Hospital, Malmo, Sweden (5) Department of Orthopaedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden (6) Department of Orthopaedics, Stockholm Soder Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (7) Division of Orthopedics, Umea University Hospital, Umea, Sweden (8) Department of Orthopedics, Ystad Hospital, Ystad, Sweden (9) Department of Orthopedics, Hassleholm-Kristianstad Hospitals, Hassleholm, Sweden (10) Department of Orthopaedics, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden Article History: Registration Date: 20/09/2005 Received Date: 27/06/2005 Accepted Date: 19/09/2005 Online Date: 09/11/2005