• Byunghyun Kim, Joonghee Kim, You Hwan Jo, Si-Hyuck Kang, Yeon Joo Lee, Jae Hyuk Lee, Je Eun Hwang, Min Ji Park, and Sihyung Lee.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
• Spine. 2018 Jul 15; 43 (14): E830-E835.

Study DesignRetrospective large population-based study.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to elucidate the association between vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and pneumonia.Summary Of Background DataVCF is known to be associated with impaired pulmonary function. However, the risk of developing pneumonia after new-onset VCF has not been evaluated.MethodsThe data source was the National Health Screening Program Cohort, a population-based sample cohort of national health screening enrolees. Elderly women with low bone density identified during the life transition period health check-up were target population. Patients with newly diagnosed isolated VCF after the health check-up except those with cervical VCF were included as exposure group. Matched individuals still free of any type of VCF from the same population were included as control group with case/control ratio 3:1. The time to first occurrence of pneumonia were analyzed with Cox-regression analysis.ResultsFrom the target population (N = 24,773), we matched 867 patients exposed to new-onset isolated VCFs with 2601 controls. In a multivariable Cox-regression analysis, isolated VCF was identified as an independent risk factor for development of a pneumonia (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval 1.14-1.91). Among the subtypes of VCF, thoracic/thoracolumbar VCF was independently associated with increased risk of pneumonia (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval 1.47-3.08).ConclusionIsolated VCF, especially those involving thoracic region, was associated with increased risk of pneumonia.Level Of Evidence4.

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