The epidemiology of fifth metatarsal fracture surgeries in Japan using nationwide hospital claim database.

BACKGROUND

A fifth metatarsal fracture is a common condition with various causes. The epidemiology of this condition is well established in certain populations such as athletes, and people from Western countries, but not in Japan. We aimed to study the epidemiology of fifth metatarsal fracture surgeries in Japan among various age groups from school age to elderly and hypothesized that they are more common in older Japanese patients.

METHODS

Data was collected from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, which is a nationwide database containing discharge abstracts and administrative claims data from over 1500 hospitals in Japan. Patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of metatarsal fracture and who underwent open reduction and internal fixation between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2021 were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, a total of 2044 participants, with an average age of 17.93 years and a BMI of 22.63, were included in the analysis. Males exhibited a unimodal distribution, with a peak occurring during their late teens, while females displayed a bimodal distribution, with a peak at the age of 50. Additionally, the incidence of these injuries among both males and females peaked during high school, particularly at the age of 17 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher prevalence of fifth metatarsal fracture surgeries in elderly females and school age population was observed. This high prevalence may require fracture prevention and early screening. Further studies including patients who undergo conservative treatment are needed.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: III.