To compare and analyze the epidemiological features of adult patients with distal femoral fracture between the east and west areas in China from 2010 to 2011.

The data of adult patients with distal femoral fracture treated from January 2010 through December 2011 in 63 hospitals were collected through the PACS system and case reports checking system. The data from 35 hospitals in the east area were classified as group A and those from 28 hospitals in the west area as group B. The analytic items included gender, age and AO classification.

A total of 2,523 adult distal femoral fractures were collected, involving 1,544 males and 979 females, with a male to female ratio of 1.58∶1. The adult femoral fractures predominated in an age range from 41 to 50 years (18.94%) and their high-risk type was 33-A (50.18%). In group A of 1,650 cases, there were 1,027 males and 623 females, with a male to female ratio of 1.65∶1 and a median age of 48 years; in group B of 873 cases, there were 517 males and 356 females, with a male to female ratio of 1.45∶1 and a median age of 45 years. There were no significant differences in the age distribution and gender proportion between groups A and B (P >0.05). The age distribution showed that the peak ranges were from 31 to 60 years in both groups. The proportion of type 33-A was the most and that of type 33-B the least in both groups. The proportion of type 33-A in group B (53.49%) was significantly higher than in group A (48.42%) while that of type 33-B in group B (16.84%) was significantly lower than in group A (21.39%) ( P< 0.05).

Adult distal femoral fractures were common in middle-aged males and their high-risk type was 33-A. Their peak age was from 31 to 60 years in both east and west areas in China. They were more common in men. The predominant fracture type was 33-A in both areas. The east area witnessed a significant higher proportion of type 33-B and a significant lower proportion of type 33-A than the west area.

Femoral fractures; Epidemiology; Case-control studies; Adult