Zdravniški Vestnik (May 2002)
INCIDENCE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SLIPPED CAPITAL FEMORAL EPIPHYSIS
Abstract
Background. In the presented study we rewieved the epidemiology of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence and epidemiology of the disease.Material and methods. Between the years 1970–1994, 156 consecutive patients were admitted to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in Ljubljana. The incidence was calculated using the attack rate method, i. e. the sum of annual incidences in each one year group. Mean age and boys : girls ratio were calculated. The affected side was also observed.Results. In our study the attack rate per thousand patients was 0.488 ‰ (0.474 ‰ for boys, 0.502 ‰ for girls). The risk of physiolysis was 1 : 2110 for boys, 1 : 1992 for girls and 1 : 2049 for both sexes. The average age at diagnosis was higher in boys (13.6 ± 1.6 [9.5–16.6] years) than in girls (11.9 ± 1.43 [8–15.5] years) (p < 0.001). There was no difference in boys : girls ratio (1 : 1). The left hip was affected first in 90 (58%) patients which was significant (p < 0.05). There was the preponderance of the left hip being affected slightly more often in boys (30%) than in girls (28%).Conclusions. The calculated incidence for both sexes in our population is 0.054 ‰. In the contrast to other studies the incidence of SCFE among our patients is lower for male patients. The boys : girls ratio is 1 : 1. The most common age at diagnosis is higher for boys than for the girls. The left hip is more frequently affected than the right one.
