The Impact of Lockdown during COVID-19 Pandemic on Hip Fracture Cases in Austria

Abstract Mini AbstractSocial lockdowns may have an impact on fracture cases. During the first lockdown in Austria (March 16th to May 31st 2020), hip fracture cases did not significantly change, except a decreased rate in female patients aged 50-69 years.IntroductionSocial lockdown has been repeatedly imposed worldwide due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Resultant isolation with less physical activity and restricted health care access may have an impact on fracture incidences. The aim of this analysis was to assess the effect of a social lockdown on hip fracture cases in Austria.MethodsThis analysis is based on the data of the Austrian Workers' Compensation Board (AUVA), which is the social insurance for the majority in Austria. Hip fracture cases in the time period March 16th to May 31st, 2020 (first lockdown period in Austria) were compared with those in the same period of previous years (2016-2019). Further analysis included stratification by gender, age and weekly intervals using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), while a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsIn the time period March 16th to May 31st 2020 the fracture cases of 445 lied within the standard deviation (SD) of years before (438 ± 20.1). The mean cases of weekly separated intervals in 2016-2019 did not differ significantly from those in 2020. In patients aged 50 to 69 years, the fracture cases in 2020 was below the SD of those in years before (64 vs. 77 ± 10). Stratified by weekly intervals and age group, mean fracture cases of years before were comparable with those of 2020, except 2018, which had significant lower rates in patients aged 50-69 years (p<0.05). Separated by gender, this difference was only seen in women.ConclusionHip fracture cases did not significantly change during first social lockdown (March 16th to May 31st 2020) in Austria, except a decreased fracture rate in female patients aged 50-69 years.