Introduction: Fracture of clavicle is common, accounting for 5% to 12% of all fractures and up to 44% of injuries to the shoulder. Surprisingly,only one study was performed on a large and significative number of patients, however,it was carried out on subjects of a little harbour city (200,000 inhabitants) whose life customs are different with respect to those of metropolitan people. Other data that emerge from investigations performed on a low number of patients are in contrast among them.We have carried out an epidemiological study regarding prevalence and causes of the clavicular fractures occurred in patients of a wide district of our town. Methods: Clinical records of patients who sustained, between 1981-1984 and 1990-1999 clavicular fractures, treated at our Institute,have been analyzed. Information on patient's age and causes responsible of the fracture was obtained. X-ray films, documenting the fracture, were separately examined by two of the authors. Fractures were classified according to Allman’s method(1967); those associated with AC or sternoclavicular dislocation were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Chi-squared test. Results: Of the 20,094 patients treated at our emergency repart for a fracture during the studied period,526(2.6%) sustained a clavicular fracture (bilaterally in two cases) (44.1% of injuries to the shoulder)p=0.001. Of the 526 patients,354 (67.3%) were males (p:0.001). 431 fractures(81 .6%) belonged to Type I fracture (middle shaft); of them,143 (33%) and 206 (47.8%) had, respectively, no (la) and displacement (lb) of bone fragments; while 81 (18.8%) were comminuted fractures(Ic) (p=0.001). Of the remaining fractures,87(16.4%) belonged to Type ll fractures (distal clavicular fracture) (47.7% and 52.3% were not displaced and displaced fractures respectively;p=0.8). Only 10 patients (1 .6%) had fractures of the proximal third (Type lll): undisplaced in 3 cases (llla) and displaced in 7 (lllb).l\/lean age of patients with Type l,Il and Ill fractures was, respectively 26,37 and 51 yrs; while that of patients with undislaced and displaced fractures was 24 and 31 yrs.Prevalence of Type l fracture decreased with age; while Type ll and lll fractures always increased in patients older than 60 years old. A half(47.3%) of clavicular fractures occurred as a consequence of traffic accidents especially injuries resulting from falls from mopeds. No significant difference was observed regarding seasonal prevalence of clavicular fractures. Conclusion: In our series, prevalence of clavicular fracture is about one half compared to Nordqvist and Petersson’s study. This discrepancy is probably due to different char- acteristics of examined cohorts, mean age,sportive lifestyle, greater use of bycicle as mean of trasportation. Furthermore, two thirds of our patients had a displaced frac- ture. This frequency is higher than that revealed by Nordqvist and Petersson(42.7%), probably because our prevalence of Type l fracture, that usually undergoes displace- ment, was higher. Previous studies referred that 50%-82% of all fractures belongs to Type I, 10%-18% to Type ll and 2%-10% to Type lll. these proportions are in accordance with ours. our data suggest a significant correlation between age, localization of the fracture and entity of displacement. In fact, 94% of the fractures sustained by children (<10yrs) belonged to Type I fracture and two thirds were undisplaced. type I fractures were the more frequent also in adolescents and young adults, however 71% had a displacement of bone fragments. Finally , in the elderly a low prevalence of clavicular was revealed; probably because the trauma exhaust itself in common osteoporotic areas (humeral head, wrist)

Epidemiologic study on clavicular fractures / Postacchini, Franco; Gumina, Stefano; De Santis, P.; Albo, F.. - STAMPA. - (2000), pp. 136-136. (Intervento presentato al convegno 14th SECEC congress tenutosi a Lisbona (Portogallo) nel 20-23 settembre 2000).

Epidemiologic study on clavicular fractures

POSTACCHINI, Franco;GUMINA, STEFANO;
2000

Abstract

Introduction: Fracture of clavicle is common, accounting for 5% to 12% of all fractures and up to 44% of injuries to the shoulder. Surprisingly,only one study was performed on a large and significative number of patients, however,it was carried out on subjects of a little harbour city (200,000 inhabitants) whose life customs are different with respect to those of metropolitan people. Other data that emerge from investigations performed on a low number of patients are in contrast among them.We have carried out an epidemiological study regarding prevalence and causes of the clavicular fractures occurred in patients of a wide district of our town. Methods: Clinical records of patients who sustained, between 1981-1984 and 1990-1999 clavicular fractures, treated at our Institute,have been analyzed. Information on patient's age and causes responsible of the fracture was obtained. X-ray films, documenting the fracture, were separately examined by two of the authors. Fractures were classified according to Allman’s method(1967); those associated with AC or sternoclavicular dislocation were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Chi-squared test. Results: Of the 20,094 patients treated at our emergency repart for a fracture during the studied period,526(2.6%) sustained a clavicular fracture (bilaterally in two cases) (44.1% of injuries to the shoulder)p=0.001. Of the 526 patients,354 (67.3%) were males (p:0.001). 431 fractures(81 .6%) belonged to Type I fracture (middle shaft); of them,143 (33%) and 206 (47.8%) had, respectively, no (la) and displacement (lb) of bone fragments; while 81 (18.8%) were comminuted fractures(Ic) (p=0.001). Of the remaining fractures,87(16.4%) belonged to Type ll fractures (distal clavicular fracture) (47.7% and 52.3% were not displaced and displaced fractures respectively;p=0.8). Only 10 patients (1 .6%) had fractures of the proximal third (Type lll): undisplaced in 3 cases (llla) and displaced in 7 (lllb).l\/lean age of patients with Type l,Il and Ill fractures was, respectively 26,37 and 51 yrs; while that of patients with undislaced and displaced fractures was 24 and 31 yrs.Prevalence of Type l fracture decreased with age; while Type ll and lll fractures always increased in patients older than 60 years old. A half(47.3%) of clavicular fractures occurred as a consequence of traffic accidents especially injuries resulting from falls from mopeds. No significant difference was observed regarding seasonal prevalence of clavicular fractures. Conclusion: In our series, prevalence of clavicular fracture is about one half compared to Nordqvist and Petersson’s study. This discrepancy is probably due to different char- acteristics of examined cohorts, mean age,sportive lifestyle, greater use of bycicle as mean of trasportation. Furthermore, two thirds of our patients had a displaced frac- ture. This frequency is higher than that revealed by Nordqvist and Petersson(42.7%), probably because our prevalence of Type l fracture, that usually undergoes displace- ment, was higher. Previous studies referred that 50%-82% of all fractures belongs to Type I, 10%-18% to Type ll and 2%-10% to Type lll. these proportions are in accordance with ours. our data suggest a significant correlation between age, localization of the fracture and entity of displacement. In fact, 94% of the fractures sustained by children (<10yrs) belonged to Type I fracture and two thirds were undisplaced. type I fractures were the more frequent also in adolescents and young adults, however 71% had a displacement of bone fragments. Finally , in the elderly a low prevalence of clavicular was revealed; probably because the trauma exhaust itself in common osteoporotic areas (humeral head, wrist)
2000
14th SECEC congress
clavicular fractures
04 Pubblicazione in atti di convegno::04b Atto di convegno in volume
Epidemiologic study on clavicular fractures / Postacchini, Franco; Gumina, Stefano; De Santis, P.; Albo, F.. - STAMPA. - (2000), pp. 136-136. (Intervento presentato al convegno 14th SECEC congress tenutosi a Lisbona (Portogallo) nel 20-23 settembre 2000).
File allegati a questo prodotto
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/487270
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact