Epidemiological analysis of distal ulna and radius fractures in adults in the Third Affiliated Hospital to Hebei Medical University from 2003 through 2012

Abstract

Objective To analyze the epidemiological features and trends of distal ulna and radius fractures in adult patients.Methods The data of adult fractures of distal ulna and radius from January 2003 through December 2012 at our hospital were collected and analyzed through the PACS system and the case records review system.The data between 2003 and 2007 were assigned into group A and those between 2008 and 2012 into group B.The 2 groups were compared in terms of gender,age,age distribution and type of AO classification.Results A total of 9,104 adult distal ulna and radius fractures were collected,accounting for 65.8％ (9,104/13,839) of the adult radius and ulna fractures and 8.5％ (9,104/107,648) of the adult fractures during the same time.They involved 3,934 males and 5170 females,with a male/female ratio of 1∶ 1.3.The predominant age of the fractures concerned was from 51 to 60 years,accounting for 25.0％ (2,277/9,104).The high-risk type of fracture was type 23-A,accounting for 75.3％ (6,855/9,104).There were 4,631 cases in group A and 4,473 cases in group B,respectively accounting for 63.4％ (4,631/7,307) and 68.5％ (4,473/6,532) of all the adult radius and ulna fractures in each group at the same time,giving a significant difference between groups (P ＜0.05).In group B,the male/female ratio was 1∶ 1.4,the proportion of patients aged from 16 to 20 was 6.5％ (290/4,473),the proportion of high-risk type 23-A was 67.5％ (3,021/4,473),all significantly lower than those in group A [1∶ 1.3,11.8％ (547/4,631) and 82.8％ (3,836/4,631)] (P ＜ 0.05).The proportion of patients aged above 50 years in group B was 56.4％ (2,521/4,473),significantly higher than that in group A [48.7％ (2,254/4,631)] (P ＜0.05).Conclusions The adult patients with distal ulna and radius fractures treated at our hospital from 2003 through 2012 were characterized by an increase of females,a reduction of teenagers,an increase of the elderly and predominance of AO type 23-A. Key words: Radius fractures; Ulna fractures; Epidemiology; Sex distribution; Age distribution