JRPMS Vol 5, No 3, September 2021, p.101-104
doi: 10.22540/JRPMS-05-101
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Review Article
Low energy fractures in childhood: the association with an increased fracture risk in adulthood
Despoina Papadimitriou
- Postgraduate Program “Metabolic Bone Diseases”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
Keywords: Childhood fractures, Fracture risk, Risk of osteoporosis
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether childhood fractures are associated with future risk of osteoporosis and fracture occurrence in adult life. Bone is a dynamic organ which is modified by bone modeling and remodeling. Peak bone mass is obtained in early adulthood and it is affected by a variety of modifiable and non-modifiable factors. In the last decades, childhood fractures have been increased by 35-65% due to many variable factors. Pediatric fractures are 10-25% of all pediatric injuries, their most common site is distal forearm and they are most frequent during the prepubertal and pubertal period of life. According to some cohort studies, childhood fractures are considered a risk factor for osteoporosis and future bone fragility. Most of the available data from published studies suggest that pediatric low-energy fractures are linked to decreased bone mass. However, based on our literature search the prognostic value of positive pediatric fracture history in osteoporosis and skeletal fragility is still debated.