title: Epidemiology of spinal fractures among the elderly in Chongqing, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate the epidemiology of spinal fractures including traumatic spinal fractures and osteoporotic spinal fracture with no specific cause, spinal fracture caused by tumour and tuberculosis among the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed hospital records on all patients who was 60 years of age or older with spinal fracture at two university-affiliated hospitals between January 2001 and May 2011 (n=996). Variables assessed included age, gender, incidence of hospital admission, mechanism of spinal fracture, anatomic distribution, neurologic deficit, therapeutic method, length of hospitalisation and hospitalisation cost.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two university-affiliated hospitals from January 2001 to May 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 996 patients with spinal fractures were identified, of whom 34.8% were males. The annual incidence of spinal fractures among the elderly was 24 cases per 100,000 hospital admission in 2001 and then gradually increased to 130 cases per 100,000 hospital admission in 2010. The causes of spinal fractures include traumatic spinal fractures (n=714, 71.7%), osteoporotic fracture with no specific cause (n=264, 26.5%) and spinal fracture caused by tumour and tuberculosis (n=18, 1.8%). The lumbar region was the most common region of spinal fracture (n=823, 48.8%), followed by the thoracic (n=724, 43.0%) and the cervical (n=138, 8.2%) regions. Lumbar spinal fractures and thoracic spinal fractures were more commonly seen as a result of accidental falls from low heights and osteoporotic spinal fractures respectively. Thirty-five (3.5%) patients exhibited a complete motor and sensory deficit and 151 (15.2%) an incomplete neurological deficit. The greatest number of complete motor and sensory neurological deficits was associated with cervical spinal fractures and accidental falls. A total of 87 (8.7%) patients had associated non-spinal injuries, of whom 26 (29.9%) sustained a head and neck injury, 28 (32.2%) patients suffered a thoracic injury and 19 (21.8%) patients suffered a fracture of a lower extremity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal fractures usually occur outdoors causing by accidental falls from low heights, most frequently happen on the road. The number of fall-induced injuries and sports injury increased steadily with age, may indicate that there is growing concern for the consequences of falls and sports in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*