Citation

Vieira Cardoso D, Dubois-Ferrière V, Gamulin A, Baréa C, Rodriguez P, Hannouche D, Lübbeke A. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord. 2021; 22(1): e266.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12891-021-04144-5

PMID

33706724

Abstract

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.

Language: en

Keywords

Obesity; Ankle fractures,malleolar fractures; Body mass index; Broos and Bisschop’s; Danis-weber