Epidemiological comparison of adult distal ulna and radius fractures between northwest and northeast areas of China from 2010 to 2011

Objective To compare and analyse the epidemiological features of adult patients with distal ulna and radius fractures between Northwest and Northeast. Methods The data of adult patients with distal ulna and radius fractures treated from January 2010 to December 2011 in 14 hospitals in Northwest and Northeast were collected through the PACS system and case reports checking system. The data of 10 hospitals in Northwest were classified as Northwest group, while data of 4 hospitals in Northeast were classified as Northeast group and the analytic items included gender, age, age distribution and type of AO classification. Results A total of 5 197 cases were divided into Northwest group(3 278 cases) and Northeast group(1 919 cases), respectively. There were 1 675(51.1%) males and 1 603(48.9%) females in Northwest group, while 771(40.2%) males and 1 148(59.8%) females in Northeast group (χ2=57.945, P<0.01). The median age of the two groups were 45.0(16-96) and 55.0(16-97)(Z=-14.926, P<0.01). The age distribution showed that the peak range was 51-60 years old in both groups, with the proportion 19.3%(632/3 278) and 27.4%(525/1 919). The proportion of young-adult in the two groups were 79.5%(2 607/3 278) and 66.3%(1 273/1 919), and the proportion of old people were 20.5%(671/3 278) and 33.7%(646/1 919)(χ2=111.364, P<0.01). In both groups, there were more fractures in left side than right side, while the high-risk type of fracture was 23-A type with the proportion 48.0%(1 574/3 278) in Northwest group and 61.8%(1 185/1 919) in Northeast group(χ2=91.976, P<0.01). Conclusions The proportion of adult distal ulna and radius fractures in male is more than female in Northwest, while female is more than male in Northeast. In both groups the peak age is 51-60 years old, the high risk fracture type is 23-A and left side fracture is more than right side. Key words: Radius fracture; Ulna fracture; Epidemiologic studies; Sex distribution; Age of onset; Northwest; Northeast