The prevalence and causes of maxillofacial fractures in patients attending Accident and Emergency Departments in Recife-Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of maxillofacial fractures among patients admitted to the Accident and Emergency Departments of three major hospitals in Recife, Brazil.


METHODS
A prospective design. The data were collected from each hospital over 3 months. A timetable was developed which randomly allocated visits to the three hospitals, six times a week for 6 hours a day. Data on socio-demographic variables, presence of bone fractures and/or maxillofacial fractures, type of injuries, aetiological factors, and place of occurrence were recorded.


RESULTS
The final sample size was 5,644 patients. The prevalence of any bone fractures was 32.1% and for maxillofacial fractures 4.1%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that maxillofacial fractures were related to age, sex and level of education but not to employment status. Violence was the main cause of maxillofacial fractures, and the most frequent place of occurrence was the street.


CONCLUSIONS
Maxillofacial fractures represented 12.6% of all bone fractures, males and less educated subjects were more likely to be affected than their females and more educated counterparts, and violence was the most common cause.
M F P
MF
Ribeiro
W
W
Marcenes
R
R
Croucher
A
A
Sheiham
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data