Exploring the influence of altitude on hip fracture types

Abstract

Objectives:

This study explored the impact of altitude on hip fracture types, focusing on the prevalence of intracapsular and extracapsular fractures in patients from high-altitude and low-altitude regions in Turkey.

Method:

A retrospective analysis of 767 hip fracture cases was performed, involving patients aged 50 years and older treated between 2018 and 2023. Patients were categorised into high-altitude (Erzurum and Kars) and low-altitude (Izmir) groups. Fracture types and demographic variables were analysed

Results:

High-altitude patients demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of extracapsular fractures (50.5%) than low-altitude patients (38.5%; p = 0.001). Male patients were more prevalent in high-altitude regions (39.9%) than low-altitude areas (30.8%; p = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in age or BMI between the groups.

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that high-altitude environments may increase the risk of extracapsular fractures. These results will guide the need to consider environmental and geographic factors in hip fracture prevention and treatment strategies. Future research should focus on the physiological mechanisms underlying these differences.