Objective To retrospectively investigate the clinical characteristics of sternal insufficiency fractures (SIFs) of post-menopausal women. Methods Findings on the clinical presentation

associated diseases

and imaging of SIFs in 17 postmenopausal women admitted to our hospital between February 1999 and January 2009 were reported. Results Twelve patients complained of severe pain in their anterior chest. Other symptoms included cough (5 cases)

dyspnoea (3 cases)

breathlessness (3 cases)

and wheeze (2 cases). Four patients had no discomfort. The sternums of 11 cases were tender to palpation. Seventeen patients had osteoporosis. Other associated diseases were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (7 cases)

rheumatoid arthritis (3 cases)

systemic lupus erythematosus (1 case)

asthma (1 case)

and thoracic vertebral fracture (13 cases). Nine patients had received glucocorticoid treatment. The fractures were located in the body of the sternum in 15 patients

in the manubrium in 1 patient

and in the manubriosternal junction in 1 patient. Displaced fracture was present in 13 cases. Lateral radiography of the sternum showed a fracture line in 14 patients. In the remaining 3 cases

other imaging examinations such as bone scan

computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the presence of a fracture. Conclusions Osteoporosis

glucocorticoid therapy

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

and rheumatoid arthritis might be risk factors for SIFs. SIFs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest pain.