Epidemiological comparison of adult patella fractures from 2010 to 2011 between east and west areas in China

Abstract

Objective To compare and analyze the epidemiological features of adult patellar fractures between the east and west areas in China. Methods The data of adult patellar fractures treated between January 2010 and December 2011 in 63 hospitals in the east and west areas in China were collected through the PACS system and case reports checking system. The data from 35 east hospitals were assigned into group A and those from 28 west hospitals into group B. The analytic items included general situation, gender, age, AO classification. Results A total of 8,469 adult patellar fractures were collected, involving 4,985 males and 3,484 females with a male to female ratio of 1.43∶1. The patellar fractures predominated in patients of 51 to 60 years old (23.15%); the high risk fracture type is 34-C (72.76%) with 34-C1 being the most common subtype (39.73%). The male to female ratio was 1.43∶1 in both groups. The median age of group A(50 years old) was significantly older than that of group B (46 years old) (Z=2.714, P=0.000). The high risk age was from 51 to 60 years in group A (24.74%) and from 41 to 50 years in group B (20.41%), showing a significant difference (P<0.05). The high risk fracture type was 34-C in both groups (74.08% in group A versus 69.99% in group B); the high risk sub-type was 34-C1 in both groups (42.56% in group A versus 33.79% in group B). Conclusions There were more male adult patellar fractures than female ones in the east and west areas in China. The age of patients with patellar fracture in the east area was older than that in the west area. The peak age was from 51 to 60 years in the east area and from 41 to 50 years in the west area. The most frequent type was 34-C and the most common subtype was 34-C1 in both east and west areas. Key words: Patella; Fractures, bone; Epidemiology; Case-control studies; Adult