Epidemiology of Distal Radius Fractures in Children and Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Two-Center Study

Abstract

Bacground: The purpose of our study was a comprehensive assessment of the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic on distal radius fractures(DRF)epidemiology,including both children and adults and various fracture fixation methods in two large trauma centers in Poland.Methods: This study compared the data on the treatment of distal radius fractures in Poland in two periods:the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding period prior to the pandemic.We assessed detailed data from two trauma centers for pediatric and adult patients.We compared epidemiological data,demographic data,treatment type,and hospital stay duration.Results: The total number of patients hospitalized due to DRF during the pandemic was 15.1% lower than that from the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period.In the case of adult patients, the total number of those hospitalized during the pandemic decreased significantly(by 22%) from132 to103patients.Analysis of the individual treatment methods revealed that the number of adults who underwent conservative treatment was considerably(by 30.3%)significantly lower in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.Compared to the figures from the pre-pandemic period,the number of surgically treated adults was significantly higher(by 53.8%).Our analyses showed hospitalizations of surgically treated adults to be shorter by 12.7%during the pandemic,with the corresponding hospitalizations of surgically treated pediatric patients to be shorter by11.5%.Conclusions: Our study showed decreased numbers of pediatric and adult patients with DRFs during the COVID-19 pandemic.The pandemic caused an increase in the number of children and significantly increase adults undergoing surgical treatment for DRFs, a decrease in mean patient age,shorter significantly durations of hospital stay, and an increased number of men with DRFs.