Epidemiology and treatment of distal radius fractures in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2004

Abstract

Background and purpose Recent literature suggests that the incidence and treatment modalities of distal radius fractures have been changing over the past 2 decades in the developed world. We examined the epidemiology of adult distal radius fractures in Iceland in 2004 and compared it with an Icelandic study from 1985 and other studies.

Methods A retrospective study of the epidemiology, classification, and treatment of distal radius fractures in Reykjavik residents aged 16 and older in 2004 was conducted by analysis of medical records and re-evaluation of all radiographic examinations.

Results The 228 fractures included in our material yielded an overall annual incidence of 17/10⁴ in men and 37/10⁴ in women. Age-specific incidence rose steadily with age in both sexes. One third of the fractures were intraarticular, and working-age men accounted for a large proportion of them. 95% of fractures were treated nonoperatively.

Interpretation The annual incidence of distal radius fractures was similar in 1985 and 2004. However, age-specific incidence in younger postmenopausal women decreased sharply. This trend has also been observed in recent Scandinavian studies. Most fractures were treated nonoperatively in Iceland in 2004.

KS collected all the data, did most of the analysis work, and wrote the manuscript together with SH. SH contributed to analysis and interpretation of the results. JR had the original idea for the study, and helped to design it and to classify the fractures in equivocal cases. He also revised the manuscript.

We thank Peter Fritzell and Ursula Budde for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable criticism. We also thank Ásdís A. Arnalds of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Iceland, for statistical help.

No competing interests declared.