[Tobacco smoking and risk of hip fracture in men and women. Results from the Hovedstadens Center for Prospective Population Studies].

INTRODUCTION

In the present population-based cohort study, we prospectively determined the influence of current, previous, and cumulative smoking history on the risk of hip fracture in men and women and addressed the issue of possible gender difference in susceptibility to tobacco smoking.

MATERIAL

A total of 13,393 women and 17,379 men, initially examined between 1964 and 1992, were followed up until 1997 for their first admission because of hip fracture.

RESULTS

During follow-up, a total of 1169 hip fractures were identified. After adjustment for potential confounders, female current smokers had a relative risk of hip fracture of 1.36 (1.12-1.65) and male smoked 1.59 (1.04-2.43) relative to those who have never smoked. In both sexes, the relative risk of hip fracture gradually increased with current and accumulated tobacco consumption. A test for interaction between gender and smoking habits was insignificant. Men who stopped smoking for more than five years had a lower risk of hip fracture than men who currently smoked, whereas no such risk reduction was seen in female ex-smokers.

CONCLUSION

Tobacco smoking is an independent risk factor for hip fracture in men and women, and there appears to be no gender differences in the smoking-related risk. Men who stopped smoking for more than five years had lower risk of hip fracture than men who currently smoked, whereas no such risk reduction was seen in female ex-smokers.