Epidemiology and incidence of tibia fractures in the Swedish Fracture Register

Abstract

Introduction: There is a lack of epidemiological studies of fractures in all segments of the tibia classified by orthopaedic surgeons according to the AO/OTA classification. Since 2011, the Swedish Fracture Register (SFR) has provided prospectively collected, population-based data on fractures of all types, treated both surgically and non-surgically. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and incidence of fractures in all segments of the tibia in a cohort of consecutive tibia fractures over a period of five years at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Methods: Information on age, gender, date and mechanism of injury, fracture classification according to AO/OTA, affected side and high- or low-energy trauma was extracted from the SFR for all patients, aged 16 years and above, with tibia fractures treated at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, during the five-year period 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2015.

Results: 1325 patients sustained 1371 tibia fractures. There were 712 proximal tibia fractures, 417 tibial shaft fractures and 242 distal tibia fractures. Patients with proximal tibia fractures had a higher mean age (54.3) and 58% were women, whereas patients with shaft and distal fractures had a slightly lower mean age (47.0 and 48.7 respectively) and a dominance of men (59% and 54% respectively). The overall incidence of tibia fractures was 51.7 per 100,000 and year. The incidence of proximal, diaphyseal and distal tibia fractures was 26.9, 15.7 and 9.1 respectively per 100,000 and year. Among women, tibia fractures showed an increasing incidence with age in all segments, whereas men had a fairly flat incidence curve, except for tibial shaft fractures, which displayed a peak among young males. The incidence of tibia fractures and graphs for age-specific incidence for each segment of the tibia are presented.

Conclusions: This study describes the epidemiology and incidence of fractures in the whole of the tibia classified by orthopaedic surgeons according to the AO/OTA classification.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Fracture Register; Incidence; Tibia fracture.