The incidence of proximal humerus fracture
Jeanette Koeppe, Josef Stolberg-Stolberg, Karen Fischhuber, Janette Iking, Ursula Marschall, Michael J. Raschke, J. Christoph Katthagen
Abstract
The Incidence of Proximal Humerus Fracture-an Analysis of Insurance DataProximal humerus fracture (PHF) is the third most common agerelated fracture in the elderly, with women more frequently affected than men [1][2][3][4].Currently only incomplete and inconclusive data are available on the actual incidence of PHF, describing preselected cohorts with observed incidences ranging from 60.1 to 90.8 per 100 000/person-years [1-3].These studies were often based on small sample sizes or included only inpatient cases.However, conservatively treated patients, in particular, are rarely hospitalized and are therefore frequently not included in such studies.The aim of the study described here, based on a large healthcare-related database, was to evaluate the incidence of PHF not only in inpatients but also in outpatients, in order to enable to estimation of the actual fracture incidence and the resulting treatment and aftercare requirements.