Epidemiological Review of Relation between Gender and Traumatic Injuries in Hospitals in Iran

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic injury including fractures of limbs, hip or spine or the injuries of soft tissue, muscles, ligaments and tendons lesions are the most common traumatic injuries these days, and impose a significant material and spiritual cost to the communities every year. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between injuries and the mechanism of injuries and gender.

METHODS: In these studies 2480 patients with mean age of 29.9±17.8 referred to Shafa Yahyaeian Hospital in Tehran, Iran were participated. Some information of patients has been recorded during April-October in 2013. Information includes demographic characteristics, the exact mechanism of injury, radiographic imaging, CT scan, MRI were recorded. The statistical analysis performed on data with t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests.

RESULTS: From 685 patients with lower extremity fractures, 500 (73%) were male and 185 (27%) female. Also from 332 patients with soft tissue injuries, the males were 281 (84.5%) and 51 (15.5%) female. In this study no significant relation between gender and upper and lower extremity injuries were not seen (P=0.69). The most common mechanism of trauma in male patients were fall from standing position 34.8%, direct trauma 24.6%, motorcycle crash 10% and fall from height 7.9%. Also the most common mechanism of trauma in female patients was fall from standing position 54.2%, direct trauma 15.8% and falling from stairs 7.5%. There were no significant relation between sex and trauma mechanism in this study (P=0.00).

CONCLUSIONS: According to the results the frequency of fractures and soft tissue injuries were higher in male than female. The main mechanisms of injury in both groups were fall from the standing position.