[Fractures in postmenopausal women in the IMSS: frequency and costs of hospital care].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the frequency and costs of hospitalary care due to fractures in postmenopausal period occurred in Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS).

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Study about hospitalary discharges in IMSS, among 2000-2001, with diagnosis of hip, distal forearm and vertebral fractures, with an analysis by sex and age groups. To estimate hospitalary costs, we utilized the data of Grupos Relacionados de Diagnóstico (GRD) used in IMSS. The cost for each case was $46,965.30 mexican pesos ($5,101.63 U.S.D.).

RESULTS

It were registered 22,157 (8.2%) were fractures of the selected types. Of this number, 15,925 ocurred in persons of 50 years and more y 11,084 (69.6%) in postmenopausal women. The mentioned fractures were more frequent in men before 50 years with a proportion of 1.9 to 1. This proportion changed from 2 to 1 in women after 50 years. These differences were statistically significant. The cost of hospitalary care of hip fracture in postmenopausal women was $336,658.097 mexican pesos ($36' 593,271 U.S.D.) in the two years of the study.

CONCLUSION

It is convenient to make costs-benefits evaluation about preventive resources, as widespread use of HRT, to reduce the frequency of fractures in postmenopausal women, due its high actual costs of hospitalary care.