Colles' fracture-a one year epidemiological study

Abstract EN

This one year cross sectional-analytical study was done from July 1995 to July 1996.

During this period all Colles' fractures (181 in 177patients) referred to three orthopaedic hospitals of Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences-Tehran, Iran were studied.

The mean age of the patients was 49.4 years ranging from 17 to 94 (55.2 for women and 41.7 for men).

57 % of the patients were women and 43 % were men (ratio~l.33 to I).

63.2 % of men were under 45 years old whereas 78.2 % of women were over the same age.

In the sixth decade, of life the ratio of women to men increased to 6 to I.

93.3 % ofthe patients were right handed and 6.7 % were left handed.

52.6 % of fractures occurred in the left side and 47.4 % in the right side.

There was no significant relation between fracture side, handedness and sex.

Most of the fractures occurred in winter (39 %) and the least in spring (13.5 %).

There was no significant relation between men's Colles 'fracture and different seasons.

One third of the fractures happened in January and February and were related to rain and snow fall, 41 % of fractures occurred on the Saturdays and Thursdays.

50 % of fractures occurred between 7 o'clock in the morning and 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

More than half of the patients had this fracture because of minor falls and 80 % of these patients were women.

70 % of the patients who had minor falls were in the age group of 46-70 and 90 % of this group were women.

33 % of the patients had Colles' fracture because of major falls and 63 % of these patients were men.

25.2 % of the fractures resulted from snowfall, 10 % from accidents.

35.8 % from incautious duties, and 32.1 % from somatic diseases or disabilities.

Regarding the above mentioned causes it is possible to prevent a great deal of Colles' fractures through community education and is attainable by: a) making account oj safety procedures, b) attention to traffic laws, c) reducing out-walking during rain and snow falls, and d) regular examination and treatment ofthe elderly.