title: The changing epidemiology of fall-related fractures in adults.
abstract: There has been very little analysis of the epidemiology of adult fall-related fractures outwith the osteoporotic population. We have analysed all in-patient and out-patient fall-related fractures in a one-year period in a defined population and documented their epidemiology. The overall prevalence of non-spinal fall-related fractures is 63.1% with 40.7% and 82.7% occurring in males and females respectively. In females aged 20-29 years >50% of fractures follow falls, the equivalent age range in males being 50-59 years. Analysis of fall-related fractures in two one-year periods in 2000 and 2010/11 shows a significant increase in almost all age ranges up to 60-69 years with a decreased incidence in 90+ patients. In males there is a significant increase in 30-39year males but also in males >80years. In females the greatest increase in incidence is in 16-19year females but all age ranges show a significant increase up to 60-69 years. There is a decreased incidence in 90+ females. The reasons for the increase in the incidence of fall-related are multifactorial but they are probably contributed to by the inherently weaker bone of younger females and by the increased incidence of conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ccb@courtbrown.com.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Court-Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Duckworth
authors.affiliation: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Biant
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McQueen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Adults; Epidemiology; Falls; Fractures; Osteoporosis