Epidemiological comparison of pediatric supracondylar fractures of the humerus between the east and west areas in China from 2010 to 2011

Abstract

Objective To compare and analyse the epidemiological features of pediatric supracondylar fractures of the humerus between the east and west areas in China from 2010 through 2011. Methods The data of pediatric supracondylar fractures of the humerus treated from January 2010 through December 2011 in 63 hospitals in the east and west areas in China were collected. The data from the 35 east hospitals were classified as group A while the data from the 28 west ones as group B. The 2 groups were compared in terms of gender, age, laterality and fracture type. Results A total of 3,622 cases were collected, with 2,886 ones in the east area and 736 ones in the west area. There were 1,735 males and 1,151 females in group A (with a male/female ratio of 1.51∶1); there were 494 males and 242 females in group B (with a male/female ratio of 2.04∶1). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups in the male/female ratio (P 0.05). Conclusions Compared with the west area, the east area had lower proportions of males and age groups of 5 to 10 years and 11 to 15 years, flexion fractures and fractures on the right side, but higher proportions of age group of 0 to 5 years. Key words: Epidemiologic studies; Small-area analysis; Child; Supracondylar fractures of humerus