Multi-center epidemiological survey of adult tibial shaft fractures from 2010 through 2011 in Hebei Province

Objective To investigate the epidemiological features of adult tibial shaft fractures in Hebei Province and compare their regional differences. Methods All the clinical data of adult fractures from January 2010 through December 2011 were collected from The Third Affiliated Hospital to Hebei Medical University (Group A, Shijiazhuang), Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Group B, Cangzhou), and The Second Hospital of Tangshan (Group C, Tangshan). Adult tibial shaft fractures were selected and analyzed retrospectively. Analytic items included gender, age, AO/OTA fracture type. The epidemiological characteristics of adult tibial shaft fractures in Hebei Province were summarized. Comparisons and analyses were made among the 3 groups. Results A total of 3,559 adult tibial shaft fractures were selected, accounting for 28.20% of the tibial and fibular fractures and 4.85% of all the adult fractures at the same period. The male/female ratio was 4.21∶1. The age distribution showed that the peak age of tibial shaft fracture was from 36 to 45 years (25.96 % ), and no significant difference was observed between males (26.36% ) and females (24.30% ). Type 42-A ones were the most common, accounting for 49.73% of all the tibial shaft fractures. It is also the most common in both men (47.88% ) and women (57.54% ). The male/female ratio in complex fractures was higher than that in simple fractures. The male/female ratios in type 42-B and type 42-C were significantly higher than that in type 42-A (P< 0.05). The proportions of adult tibial shaft fractures in tibial and fibular fractures accounted for 21.17% in group A, 30.62% in group B, and 31.67% in group C, respectively. The differences among the 3 groups were statistically significant (P< 0.05). The differences between group A and group C as well as between group A and group B were statistically significant (P< 0.05). The proportions of adult tibial shaft fractures in all the adult fractures accounted for 3.32% in group A, 3.78% in group B, and 6.91% in group C, respectively. There were statistically significant differences among the 3 groups (P < 0.05). The constituent ratio of the peak age (from 36 to 45 years old) in group B was significantly higher than those in group A (23.77% ) and group C (25.58% ) (P< 0.05). The constituent ratio of the old males (≥ 66 years) in group C(2.94% ) was significantly higher than that in group B (2.19% ) (P< 0.05). The constituent ratio of the old males (≥ 66 years) in group A (6.12% ) was significantly higher than that in group C (3.52% ) (P< 0.05). The constituent ratio of complex fractures in group A (56.30% ) was significantly higher than those in group B (50.00% ) and group C (47.83% ) (P< 0.05). Conclusions In Heibei Province from 2010 through 2011, more men suffered from tibial shaft fracture than women. The proportion of female patients increased with the increase in age. The peak age of tibial shaft fracture was from 36 to 45 years old. Type 42-A ones were the most common. The male/female ratio in complex fractures was higher than that in simple ones. The constitution of the peak age group (from 36 to 45 years old) was the highest in Cangzhou. The constitution of the old male patients was the highest in Tangshan. The constitution of the complex fractures was the highest in Shijiazhuang. Key words: Tibial fractures; Epidemiologic studies; Age factors; Sex factors; AO classification