Cough-Induced Rib Fracture in Osteopenic Patients

We report 3 patients with rib fractures induced by coughing. The diagnosis was confirmed by chest plain film showing the callus formation of rib fracture sites. The patients’ body mass indexes were around the normal range. They all received a lumbar spine bone densitometry examination. The T scores were between -1.0 and -2.5 SD, indicating that these patients had osteopenia. Although cough-induced rib fractures can also occur in normal-bone-density patients, osteopenia or osteoporosis could be a risk factor of rib fractures.