Epidemiology of hip fractures in an urban population of central Argentina

The epidemiology of fractures of the proximal femur was studied over a 1-year period in the city of La Plata, Argentina (population 288000, latitude 35° S). One hundred and ninety-five patients (164 women and 31 men) aged 50 years or over suffered a fracture of the proximal femur. The median age was 80 years in women and 77 years in men. The incidence of hip fractures per 100000 inhabitants aged 50 years or over was 379.4 in women and 100.9 in men (female/male ratio 3.76). The age-adjusted ratio was 2.90. In women the incidence increased from 11.3 in the sixth to 2807.3 in the ninth decade.