Epidemiology of distal radius fractures in own material--own experience.

BACKGROUND: Although distal radius fractures constitute 1/6 of all fractures in humans, epidemiology of the fracture has been a subject of limited number of publications in Polish medical literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Epidemiological data of 395 patients (277 females, 118 males) diagnosed with distal radius fracture and treated between January 2003 and May 2005 were collected. 81 patients were seen at 12-month and over follow-up and then categorized according to the AO classification system. They were also examined for subsequent osteoporotic fractures. BMD values were analysed in patients who had undergone bone density scans. RESULTS: Distal radius fractures constituted 18% of all fractures (77% of forearm fractures) treated during the study period. The mean age of patients was 58 years (females 63.5, males 44.8). Respective age groups presented significant gender-related differences in morbidity. The morbidity in women increased rapidly in the 6th decade of life, whereas was fairly stable in men. An analysis of fracture mechanism also pointed to osteoporotic changes as a pathogenic factor. CONCLUSION: Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures in humans. This type of fracture especially in women and older age groups is due to osteoporotic changes and constitutes a risk factor of subsequent osteoporotic fractures. Despite many morphological forms, distal radius fractures in almost 2/3 cases can be allocated into 4 main subgroups.