20-year trends of distal femoral, patellar, and proximal tibial fractures: a Danish nationwide cohort study of 60,823 patients

Authors

  • Veronique Vestergaad Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Slagelse Hospital, Næstved, Slagelse and Ringsted Hospitals, Slagelse, Denmark; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark;The Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • Alma Becic Pedersen Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
  • Peter Toft Tengberg Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Anders Troelsen Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Henrik Morville Schrøder Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Slagelse Hospital, Næstved, Slagelse and Ringsted Hospitals, Slagelse, Denmark

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/17453674.2019.1698148

Abstract

Background and purpose — Knee fracture treatment burden remains unknown, impeding proper use of hospital resources. We examined 20-year trends in incidence rates (IRs) and patient-, fracture-, and treatment-related characteristics of knee fracture patients.

Patients and methods — This nationwide cohort study of prospectively collected data including patients with distal femoral, patellar, and proximal tibial fractures from the Danish National Patient Registry during 1998–2017, assesses IRs of knee fractures (per 105 inhabitants) as well as patient-, fracture-, and treatment-related characteristics of knee fracture patients.

Results — During 1998–2017, 60,823 patients (median age 55; 57% female) sustained 74,106 knee fractures. 74% of the study population had a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of 0 and 18% a CCI of ≥ 2. 51% were proximal tibial fractures, 31% patellar fractures, and 18% distal femoral fractures. At the time of knee fracture, 20% patients had concomitant near-knee fractures (femur/tibia/fibula shaft/hip/ankle), 13% concomitant fractures (pelvic/spine/thorax/upper extremities), 5% osteoporosis, and 4% primary knee osteoarthritis. Over 1/3 knee fractures were surgically treated and of these 86% were open-reduction internal fixations, 9% external fixations, and 5% knee arthroplasties. The most common surgery type was proximal tibia plating (n = 4,868; 60% female). Knee fracture IR increased 12% to 70, females aged > 51 had the highest knee fracture IR, proximal tibial fracture had the highest knee fracture type IR (32) and surgically treated knee fracture IR increased 35% to 23.

Interpretation — Knee fracture IRs, especially of surgically treated knee fractures, are increasing and proximal tibial fracture has the highest knee fracture type IR. Females aged > 51 and patients with comorbidity are associated with knee fracture, proximal tibial fracture, proximal tibial fracture surgery, and posttraumatic knee arthroplasty.

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Published

2019-12-04

How to Cite

Vestergaad, V., Pedersen, A. B., Tengberg, P. T., Troelsen, A., & Schrøder, H. M. (2019). 20-year trends of distal femoral, patellar, and proximal tibial fractures: a Danish nationwide cohort study of 60,823 patients. Acta Orthopaedica, 91(1), 109–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/17453674.2019.1698148