Abstract
Summary
Carpal fractures were identified by the Geelong Osteoporosis Study Fracture Grid for 2006–2007. Incidence rates were higher in males than females. Males had a lower median age of fracture than females. Females had more fractures on the left side than males. Most fractures were the result of a fall.
Purpose
In this study, we report the incidence of carpal bone fractures (scaphoid and non-scaphoid) amongst residents from the Barwon Statistical Division over 2 years.
Methods
X-ray reports from imaging centres in the region were used to identify incident fractures during 2006 and 2007. Data were collected as part of the Geelong Osteoporosis Study Fracture Grid.
Results
During 2006 and 2007, there were 171 and 41 carpal fractures in males and females, respectively. Of these, 131 males and 29 females had fractured the scaphoid bone. Females had a higher proportion of left-sided fractures (>70 %) than males (∼40 %). Most fractures were the result of an accidental fall (>87 %). Patterns of incidence for males showed one major peak around 20–29 years. For females, peaks occurred around age 10–19 years and 70–79 years. Incidence rates for males (per 100,000 persons per year) were 54.6 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 53.6, 55.7) and 15.9 (95 % CI 15.4, 16.5) for scaphoid and non-scaphoid fractures, respectively. In females, the corresponding rates were 10.6 (95 % CI 10.2, 11.1) and 4.5 (95 % CI 4.2, 4.8).
Conclusion
Almost all fractures were the result of a fall. In males, carpal fractures were sustained mainly during early adulthood and in females during adolescence and after menopause. Incidence rates for males were higher than those in females for both scaphoid and non-scaphoid fractures.
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Acknowledgments
The study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC, project 628582) Australia, the Geelong Regional Medical Foundation, Arthritis Foundation of Australia, Perpetual Trustees, and Amgen Europe (GmBH). SLB-O is supported by a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (#1012472, 2011–14) and an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015–16).
Conflict of interest
The study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia (project 628582), the Geelong Regional Medical Foundation, Arthritis Foundation of Australia, Perpetual Trustees, and Amgen Europe (GmBH); however, the funding bodies played no part in the design or conduct of the study, the collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data, nor in the preparation or review of the manuscript. Sharon Brennan-Olsen is supported by a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (#1012472, 2011–14) and an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015–16). Kara Holloway, David Moloney, Sharon Brennan-Olsen, Mark Kotowicz, Gosia Bucki-Smith, Amelia Morse, Elizabeth Timney, Amelia Dobbins, Natalie Hyde, and Julie Pasco declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Holloway, K.L., Moloney, D.J., Brennan-Olsen, S.L. et al. Carpal and scaphoid fracture incidence in south-eastern Australia: an epidemiologic study. Arch Osteoporos 10, 10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-015-0215-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-015-0215-6