Economic implication of osteoporotic spine disease: cost to society.

The costs of vertebral fractures are less well defined than the costs of hip fractures. Large studies are urgently needed. From the data that exist, vertebral fractures have a higher cost than previously expected: for hospitalized fractures in a US study, USD 10 000 per year without rehabilitation costs, for all clinical fractures USD 2000 the first year, and in a Swedish study slightly more. These new data on the cost of vertebral fractures will have an impact on health economy calculations. In the future it may be be cost-effective only to prevent vertebral fractures.