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Issue: Vol. 51 No. 5 (2026): JOURNAL OF MILITARY PHARMACO-MEDICINE No.5 - 2026
Section: Articles
DOI: 10.56535/jmpm.v51i5.1792
Date Published: 28/05/2026
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Nguyen, T. T. T., Nguyen, C. T., & Cao, T. N. (2026). IMPACT OF FRAILTY ON SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH OSTEOPOROTIC VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURES. Journal of Military Pharmaco-medicine, 51(5), 162-170. https://doi.org/10.56535/jmpm.v51i5.1792

IMPACT OF FRAILTY ON SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH OSTEOPOROTIC VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURES

Thi Thuy Trang Nguyen1, Chau Tuan Nguyen2, , Thanh Ngoc Cao1,2
1 University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City
2 University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City

Main Article Content

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of frailty on short-term outcomes, including pain intensity, falls, and hospitalization, in elderly patients with new osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCF). Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study with a 3-month follow-up was conducted on 187 patients aged ≥ 60 years with osteoporotic VCF at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City from September 2024 to June 2025. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results: The prevalence of frailty (CFS ≥ 5) was 62.0%. The median VAS score decreased from 5 to 3 after 3 months (p < 0.001); 85.7% of patients reported reduced pain, 9.9% remained unchanged, and 4.4% had increased pain. The fall rate was higher in the frail group than in the non-frail group (8.0% vs. 2.8%; p = 0.207). The hospitalization rate in the frailty group was twice as high as that in the non-frail group (31.86% vs. 15.49%; p = 0.013). Conclusion: Frailty is highly prevalent among older adults with osteoporotic VCF and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Frailty screening is essential for optimizing treatment.

Keywords

Frailty, New osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, Back pain, Falls, Hospitalization

Article Details

References

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