A comparative overview of metatarsal stress fractures in premenopausal and postmenopausal women: our single-centre experience with eighty-one patients

Abstract

Purpose To compare the demographic, clinical, and laboratory features of metatarsal bone stress fractures encountered in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods This retrospective study was carried out in the orthopaedics and traumatology department of our tertiary care centre. Data were collected from the hospital records of a total of 81 women (average age 42.65 +/- 12.97) allocated in premenopausal (n = 36) and postmenopausal (n = 45) groups. These two groups were compared in terms of age, body mass index, side, and level of the metatarsal stress fracture, serum levels of vitamin D, duration of complaint and treatment, and T-scores of femur and vertebra as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results The average body mass index (BMI) was 27.00 +/- 2.49 kg/m(2)(range 21.8 to 31.2). The right side was involved in 44 cases (54.3%), while the left side was affected in 37 patients. DXA T-scores were significantly high for group 2 for both femur and vertebra (p < 0.001 for both). Two groups did not exhibit any significant differences in terms of BMI, side of the stress fracture, level and location of the fracture, seasonal distribution, smoking habits, comorbidities, serum levels of vitamin D, durations of complaints, and treatment. Conclusion Our results indicated that there was no difference between 2 groups in terms of serum vitamin D levels; however, postmenopausal women had higher T-scores of femur and vertebra. Identification of patients under higher risk for stress fractures and elucidation of the possible role of menopause necessitate further controlled, randomized trials on larger series.