Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of water fluoridated to 1 ppm on the incidence of hip fractures in the elderly.

DESIGN: Ecological cohort.

SETTING: The incidence of femoral neck fractures in patients 65 years of age or older was compared in three communities in Utah, one with and two without water fluoridated to 1 ppm.

PATIENTS: All patients with hip fractures who were 65 years of age and older over a 7-year period in the three communities, excluding (1) those with revisions of hip fractures, (2) those in whom the hip fracture was anything but a first diagnosis, (3) those in whom metastatic disease was present, or (4) those in whom the fracture was a second fracture (n = 246).

OUTCOME MEASURE: Rate of hospital discharge for hip fracture.

RESULTS: The relative risk for hip fracture for women in the fluoridated area was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08 to 1.46) and for men was 1.41 (95% CI = 1.00 to 1.81) relative to the nonfluoridated areas.

CONCLUSIONS: We found a small but significant increase in the risk of hip fracture in both men and women exposed to artificial fluoridation at 1 ppm, suggesting that low levels of fluoride may increase the risk of hip fracture in the elderly.

• Related Studies :

  • A prospective study of bone mineral content and fracture in communities with differential fluoride exposure

    In 1983/1984, a study of bone mass and fractures was begun in 827 women aged 20-80 years in three rural Iowa communities selected for the fluoride and calcium content of their community water supplies. The control community's water had a calcium content of 67 mg/liter and a fluoride content of

  • Environmental Fluoride 1977 by Rose & Marier

    The Associate Committee on Scientific Criteria for Environmental Quality was established by the National Research Council of Canada in response to a mandate provided by the Federal Government to develop scientific guidelines for defining the quality of the environment. The concern of the NRC Associate Committee is strictly with scientific

  • Bone resorption and quantitative ultrasound in an endemic fluorosis area of Turkey.

    The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the quantity and quality of bone by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements and to assess bone resorption by urinary excretion measurement of C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) in an adult Turkish population living in an endemic fluorosis area and consuming

  • Exposure to natural fluoride in well water and hip fracture: a cohort analysis in Finland

    In the retrospective cohort study based on record linkage, the authors studied a cohort of persons born in 1900-1930 (n = 144,627), who had lived in the same rural location at least from 1967 to 1980. Estimates for fluoride concentrations (median, 0.1 mg/liter; maximum, 2.4 mg/liter) in well water in

  • The effects of fluoridation on degenerative joint disease (DJD) and hip fractures

    Fluoride strengthens bone, yet makes it more susceptible to fracture. If mechanical factors are important in DJD, an increased risk for DJD in communities where fluoride is consumed is also expected. Hip fractures and knee DJD joint replacements among those >65 years for 1991-1996 were compared between one community with

• Related FAN Content :

  • Dental Fluorosis & Enamel Hypoplasia in Children with Kidney Disease

    Children with kidney disease are known to have high levels of fluoride in their blood and to be at risk for disfiguring tooth defects. Research suggests that high levels of fluoride in blood, which can cause the tooth defect known as dental fluorosis, can contribute to the defects that occur

  • Mayo Clinic: Fluoridation & Bone Disease in Renal Patients

    The available evidence suggests that some patients wtih long-term renal failure are being affected by drinking water with as little as 2 ppm fluoride. The finding of adverse effects in patients drinking water with 2 ppm of fluoride suggests that a few similar cases may be found in patients imbibing 1 ppm, especially if large volumes are consumed, or in heavy tea drinkers. The finding of adverse effects in patients drinking water with 2 ppm of fluoride suggests that a few similar cases may be found in patients imbibing 1 ppm, especially if large volumes are consumed, or in heavy tea drinkers and if fluoride is indeed the cause. It would seem prudent, therefore, to monitor the fluoride intake of patients with renal failure living in high fluoride areas.

  • Annapolis: Water Fluoridation Linked to Death of Dialysis Patient

    EVENING CAPITAL (Annapolis, Maryland) November 29, 1979 Fluoride Linked to Death by Mary Ann Kryzankowicz Staff Writer Fluoride poisoning has been definitely linked to the death of a 65-year-old kidney dialysis patient who became ill during a blood cleaning process Nov 11. State Medical Examiner Dr. (illegible) Guard has ruled that Lawrence Blake, 65, of Arundel

  • Clinical Trials: Fluoride Treatment & Bone Fracture in Osteoporosis Patients

    Due to its ability to increase bone mass, fluoride has been used as an experimental treatment for osteoporosis. The results, however, have generally been disastrous. Rather than prevent bone fractures in osteoporosis patients, fluoride therapy (at doses of 20-34 mg/day) was repeatedly found to increase fracture rates. One of the most

  • Fluoridation of drinking water and chronic kidney disease: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

    A fairly substantial body of research indicates that patients with chronic renal insufficiency are at an increased risk of chronic fluoride toxicity. Patients with reduced glomerular filtration rates have a decreased ability to excrete fluoride in the urine. These patients may develop skeletal fluorosis even at 1 ppm fluoride in the drinking water.