Epidemiology of foot injury in a high-income developing country.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To study the epidemiology of foot injuries and factors predicting their severity in a high-income developing country so as to define prevention priorities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

All patients admitted to Al-Ain Hospital with foot injury between March 2003 and March 2006 were identified from a prospectively collected Trauma Registry. Injuries were scored using foot and ankle severity scale (FASS). Bilateral, multiple or segmental injuries, open fractures or those with FASS score higher than 3 were included in severe foot injury group and compared with simple foot injury group regarding patients' demography, co-morbidities, trauma mechanism and energy, incident location, number of associated injuries, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and hospital stay using a univariate analysis. A logistic regression model was then used to study factors predicting severity of foot injury.

RESULTS:

171 patients (156 males) were studied. The average (range) age was 34 (2-75). 95 had right foot injury, 66 had left, and 10 had both. Fall from height was the most common mechanism. 105 (61%) had work-related injuries. 130 (76%) had isolated foot injury. 151 (88%) had 212 foot fractures. 20 (12%) had soft tissue injuries. 70 (41%) had severe injuries while 101 (59%) had simple ones. The multiple logistic model was highly significant (p=0.002). Number of associated injuries (p=0.025) and location of trauma (p=0.044) were significant while the amount of energy (p=0.054) showed a strong trend to predict severity.

CONCLUSIONS:

Fall from height is the most common mechanism of foot injury in United Arab Emirates. The number of associated injuries, high-energy trauma, and being work related are predictors of foot injury severity. Prevention priorities include counteractions against falling from height and falling heavy objects as occupational hazards.

• Authors: Ayman M A Tadros, Hani O Eid, Fikri M Abu-Zidan
• Journal: Injury (Injury) Vol. 41 Issue 2 Pg. 137-40 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1879-0267 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 19570532 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Accidental Falls (statistics & numerical data)
• Accidents, Occupational (statistics & numerical data)
• Accidents, Traffic (statistics & numerical data)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Ankle Injuries (epidemiology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Developing Countries (economics, statistics & numerical data)
• Female
• Foot Injuries (epidemiology, etiology)
• Fractures, Bone (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Income
• Industry
• Injury Severity Score
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Motorcycles (statistics & numerical data)
• Registries (statistics & numerical data)
• United Arab Emirates (epidemiology)
• Young Adult