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Operatively treated ankle fractures in Switzerland, 2002-2012: epidemiology and associations between baseline
Diogo Vieira Cardoso1, Victor Dubois-Ferrière2, Axel Gamulin2
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland. diogo.vieiracardoso@hcuge.ch.
Background:
Ankle fractures are common, and their incidence has been increasing. Previous epidemiological studies have been conducted in the US, Scandinavia, and Scotland. Our objectives were to provide a current epidemiological overview of operatively treated ankle fractures and to evaluate the influence of age, sex, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities on fracture types.
Methods:
We performed a population-based epidemiological study of all ankle fractures treated operatively in a 10- year period from 2002 to 2012.
Results:
Two thousand forty-five ankle fractures were operated upon. Men and women differed significantly in age (median 41 vs. 57 years old), obesity (16% vs. 23%), diabetes (5% vs. 10%), smoking (45% vs. 24%), and accident type (daily activities 48% vs. 79%, transportation 24% vs. 9%, sports 21% vs. 8%) respectively. Overall, there were 2% Weber A, 77% Weber B, and 21% Weber C fractures; 54% were uni-, 25% bi-, and 21% trimalleolar; 7.5% of all fractures were open. Weber C fractures were much more frequent among men and with higher BMI (lowest vs. highest category: 14% vs. 32%), but slightly less frequent with older age and among current smokers. Trimalleolar fractures were twice as frequent in women and increased with age.
Conclusion:
Men and women differed substantially in age, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, accident type, and type of ankle fracture. Male sex and higher BMI were more frequently associated with Weber C fractures, whereas female sex and older age were associated with trimalleolar fracture. The risk for severe fracture increased linearly with the degree of obesity.
