ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: There are great variations in the yearly incidence and the evolution of hip fractures secondary to bone fragility and associated to minimum trauma in patients older than 50. Because of the lack of data about these fractures in the province of Cáceres, we carried out a study to know their incidence and prevalence, and their evolutionary trend. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One thousand five hundred seventy seven hip fractures in the years 1997 through 2000 (both included) are studied. The type of fracture is obtained through 820.00 to 829.00 corresponding codes. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred ninety nine occur in women and 378 in men, being the average presentation age 81 +/- 9 years and 74 +/- 18 years, respectively; both data were significantly lower in men (p < 0.0001). The incidence index by sex is 2.6 women/men/100,000 inhabitants/year. The percentage of fractures by sex do not vary, depending on the anatomical location. The higher number of fractures in both sexes is in the trochanter (p < 0.0001); in men is higher in the year 2000 than in 1997 (p < 0.0001); in women their incidence and prevalence is also higher in the year 2000 than in the previous years (p < 0.0001). In conclusion we can point out that the incidence of the hip fractures secondary to low-energy trauma in the province of Cáceres population is increasing in the last few years, and that this incidence is higher in women than men, although the percentage of the fracture type according to its anatomical location is the same in women and men.