Citation

Mirchandani S, Aharonoff GB, Hiebert R, Capla EL, Zuckerman JD, Koval KJ. Orthopedics 2005; 28(2): 149-155.

Affiliation

Geriatric Hip Fracture Research Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital for Joint Disease, New York, NY 10003, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Healio)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15751369

Abstract

This study examined the effect of weather and seasonality on hipfracture incidence in older adults residing in New York City. A total off 66,346 patients aged > or = 65 years who sustained a fracture of the femoralneck or intertrochanteric region from 1985 to 1996 comprised the study population. Hip fractures were more likely to occur in the winter than in any of the other seasons (P<.001). Factors significantly correlated with hip fractureincluded minimum daily temperature (r=.167, P<.001), daily wind speed (r=.166, P<.001), maximum daily temperature (r=.155, P<.001), minutes of sunshine (r=.067, P<.01), and average relative humidity (r=.033, P=.03). A greater number of hip fractures occurred in colder months, withambient temperature rather than any adverse circumstances related to rainor snowfall associated most closely to injury. As most fractures occurredindoors, precipitation is less likely to play a part in hip fracture occurrence in this population.

Language: en