title: Epidemiology of Pelvic Fractures in Germany: Considerably High Incidence Rates among Older People.
abstract: Epidemiological data about pelvic fractures are limited. Until today, most studies only analyzed inpatient data. The purpose of this study was to estimate incidence rates of pelvic fractures in the German population aged 60 years or older, based on outpatient and inpatient data. We conducted a retrospective population-based observational study based on routine data from a large health insurance company in Germany. Age and sex-specific incidence rates of first fractures between 2008 and 2011 were calculated. We also standardized incidence rates with respect to age and sex in the German population. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association between the risk of first pelvic fracture as outcome and sex, age, calendar year and region as independent variables. The total number of patients with a first pelvic fracture corresponded to 8,041 and during the study period 5,978 insured persons needed inpatient treatment. Overall, the standardized incidence rate of all first pelvic fractures was 22.4 [95% CI 22.0-22.9] per 10,000 person-years, and the standardized incidence rate of inpatient treated fractures 16.5 [16.1-16.9]. Our adjusted regression analysis confirmed a significant sex (RR 2.38 [2.23-2.55], p < 0.001, men as reference) and age effect (higher risk with increasing age, p < 0.001) on first fracture risk. We found a slight association between calendar year (higher risk in later years compared to 2008, p = 0.0162) and first fracture risk and a further significant association with region (RR 0.92 [0.87-0.98], p = 0.006, Westfalen-Lippe as reference). The observed incidences are considerably higher than incidences described in the international literature, even if only inpatient treated pelvic fractures are regarded. Besides which, non-inclusion of outpatient data means that a relevant proportion of pelvic fractures are not taken into account. Prevention of low energy trauma among older people remains an important issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; mediStatistica, Neuenrade, Germany.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haastert
authors.affiliation: AOK NordWest, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.affiliation: AOK NordWest, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neidert
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arend
authors.affiliation: Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohmann
authors.affiliation: Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grebe
authors.affiliation: Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Hand Surgery, University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jungbluth
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Joint Practice for Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Köln-Kalk, Germany.
authors.forename: Grit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rösler
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Hand Surgery, University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Windolf
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Icks
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors