Table 1:

Characteristics of patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (N = 357)

Characteristic
Mean age ± SD (range), years77.5 ± 9.5 (40–98)
No. (%) female263 (74)
Total number of VCFs660
    No. (%) primary VCFs*489 (74)
    No. (%) secondary VCFs171 (26)
Preprocedure VAS pain intensity—all fractures
    N652
    Mean ± SD7.9 ± 2.2
    Median8.0
    Range0–10
Postprocedure VAS pain intensity—all fractures
    N560
    Mean ± SD1.6 ± 2.8
    Median0
    Range0–10
Pain improvement—all fractures
    N560
    Mean ± SD−6.2 ± 3.5
    Median−7.0
    Range−10.0–6.0
  • Note:—VAS indicates visual analog scale.

  • * Primary vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are first-time fractures for which vertebroplasty was performed.

  • Secondary VCFs are subsequent new fractures that are adjacent or nonadjacent to the primary fractures.