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Abstract
Background: Diabetes is a disorder that affects many Americans, characterized primarily by hyperglycemia due to either insulin resistance or lack of insulin secretion. This condition not only impacts blood sugar levels but also has significant effects on bone health. In diabetes, bone density is often decreased due to reduced osteoblast activity, which is responsible for bone formation, and increased osteoclast activity, which leads to bone resorption. This imbalance accelerates the breakdown of bone. Additionally, diabetics frequently suffer from lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), which results in poor vascularization of the lower limbs. These factors contribute to an increased risk of fractures in the lower extremities and poor healing of these fractures.
Methods: This study analyzed bone fractures among diabetic patients following a fall in a retrospective cohort study. Texas Trauma Data from 2018-2022 was used to test the hypothesis that diabetes is positively associated with lower limb fractures and an increased stay time in the Emergency Department. The dataset included 17,525 diabetic patients and 199,942 controls, balanced through nearest neighbor matching.
Results: Diabetic patients had an average emergency department stay time of 236 minutes compared to 234 minutes for non-diabetics, a difference that was not statistically significant. However, diabetes was statistically significant for lower limb fractures, as evidenced by a Pearson’s chi-squared test and Poisson regression. Among these fractures, the femur was the most frequently affected, followed by the fibula, tibia, and patella.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the impact of diabetes on bone health, highlighting an increased risk for lower limb fractures, particularly in the femur. The results signal the necessity for targeted strategies for managing bone health and preventing falls in this population to mitigate fracture risks.
Recommended Citation
Bellon, Bryce M.; Salinas, Daniel; De La Torre Shutz, Patrick; Butler, Hunter; Corcoran, Sean; and Baker, Kelsey, "Impact of Diabetes on Fall Related Lower Limb Fractures" (2025). Research Symposium. 46.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/46
Included in
Emergency Medicine Commons, Endocrine System Diseases Commons, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Commons, Orthopedics Commons, Trauma Commons, Wounds and Injuries Commons
Impact of Diabetes on Fall Related Lower Limb Fractures
Background: Diabetes is a disorder that affects many Americans, characterized primarily by hyperglycemia due to either insulin resistance or lack of insulin secretion. This condition not only impacts blood sugar levels but also has significant effects on bone health. In diabetes, bone density is often decreased due to reduced osteoblast activity, which is responsible for bone formation, and increased osteoclast activity, which leads to bone resorption. This imbalance accelerates the breakdown of bone. Additionally, diabetics frequently suffer from lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), which results in poor vascularization of the lower limbs. These factors contribute to an increased risk of fractures in the lower extremities and poor healing of these fractures.
Methods: This study analyzed bone fractures among diabetic patients following a fall in a retrospective cohort study. Texas Trauma Data from 2018-2022 was used to test the hypothesis that diabetes is positively associated with lower limb fractures and an increased stay time in the Emergency Department. The dataset included 17,525 diabetic patients and 199,942 controls, balanced through nearest neighbor matching.
Results: Diabetic patients had an average emergency department stay time of 236 minutes compared to 234 minutes for non-diabetics, a difference that was not statistically significant. However, diabetes was statistically significant for lower limb fractures, as evidenced by a Pearson’s chi-squared test and Poisson regression. Among these fractures, the femur was the most frequently affected, followed by the fibula, tibia, and patella.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the impact of diabetes on bone health, highlighting an increased risk for lower limb fractures, particularly in the femur. The results signal the necessity for targeted strategies for managing bone health and preventing falls in this population to mitigate fracture risks.
