# RISK FACTORS FOR HIP AND COLLES' FRACTURE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 1991 · $538,011

## Abstract

Fractures of the hip and wrist are a costly and preventable threat to the
health and survival of the elderly.  A better understanding of the risk
factors for hip and Colles' fractures will add to our knowledge about the
etiology of this condition and help focus research and preventative efforts
on those who are at greatest risk.

We propose to characterize risk factors for hip and Colles' fractures in a
multicenter prospective study of 9,600 elderly women followed quarterly for
an average of 3.5 years.  Our cohort will be a population-based sample of
non-black women aged 65 or greater who are screened from 1986 thru 1988 at
clinical centers in Pittsburgh, Portland, Maryland and Minneapolis.

The Maryland center will recruit 2,400 participants by mail solicitation of
holders of Maryland driving licenses, supplemented if necessary by
solicitation of registered voters.

At the baseline exam, we will measure a large set of potential historical
and clinical predictors of fractures.  We will use single-photon
absorptiometry of the radius and also x-ray the hand, spine and hips to
determine whether simple radiographic measurements can identify those with
the greatest risk of fractures.  We will also freeze serum from all
participants at the outset and test the stability of hormone measurements
that are shown to be stable will be the subject of a future study of the
hormonal differences between women who suffer fractures and those who do
not.  We conservatively estimate that 165 hip and 150 Colles' fractures
will occur, yielding a power of .90 to detect risk ratios of less than 2.0
for common risk factors.

Our prospective design will yield more information with fewer biases than
the previous (retrospective) studies on this topic, and our nested-case
control analyses will minimize the costs of the expensive endocrinologic
and radiologic measurements.  The study cohort, and its bank of sera,
x-rays, and clinical data is an excellent resource for future studies of
osteoporosis, fractures and other diseases of the elderly.  The results of
our study will guide future research and rationalize clinical and public
health efforts to prevent these fractures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157281
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035584-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Z9CRZKD42ZT1
- **Principal Investigator:** Roger W. Sherwin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $538,011
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-02-01 → 1992-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157281

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157281, RISK FACTORS FOR HIP AND COLLES' FRACTURE (5R01AR035584-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157281. Licensed CC0.

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