Are women with endometriosis at increased risk for fractures?

The answer appears to be "no," according to the results of a recent observational study.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. followed almost 1,000 women with proven endometriosis. The cumulative incidence of fracture after 20 years (30.8%) was not significantly different from that expected (30.6%).

Factors that did increase fracture risk included age (HR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.42–1.84); corticosteroid use (HR 2.78; 95% CI, 1.48–5.24); prior hip, spine, or forearm fracture (HR 1.82; 95% CI, 1.10–3.02); and use of tamoxifen or raloxifene, which increased the risk more than four times (HR 4.34; 95% CI, 2.14–8.81). Exercise was found to be protective (HR 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18–0.88).