Epidemiology and trends of ocular trauma hospitalizations in Chile from 2001 to 2020.

PURPOSE: To describe and analyze the characteristics and trends of hospital admissions for ocular trauma in Chile between 2001 and 2020. METHODS: We assessed hospitalizations due to ocular trauma in Chile using data from the hospital discharge registry of Chile's Department of Statistics and Health (DEIS). The JoinPoint regression analysis software was used to perform a trend analysis. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2020, a total of 37,425 patients were hospitalized in Chile with a diagnosis of "Injury of eye and orbit". The mean age was 36.7years, the mean length of stay was 6.85days, 82.4% of the patients were males, and 30.5% were open globe injuries. The average annual hospitalization rate over this period was 11.1/100,000 in the entire population (95% CI: 9.6-12.7), 18.7/100,000 in men (95% CI: 16-21.3) and 3.9/100,000 in women (95% CI: 3.3-4.5). Based on JoinPoint analysis, two temporal trends were identified for hospital admissions. Between 2001 and 2009, hospital admissions decreased 0.1% per year (P=0.876) and between 2009 and 2020 decreased 8.4% per year (P<0.001). On average, hospitalization rates decreased 5.3% per year (P<0.001) over the entire study period. CONCLUSION: Trauma is a significant cause of ocular morbidity in Chile, occurring mainly in middle-aged men. Since 2009, a significant decrease has been observed in hospitalization rates for ocular trauma in Chile.

Higher latitude and lower solar radiation influence on hip fracture admissions in Chilean older population.

Data linking solar radiation with fractures are lacking. We found that lower solar radiation was associated with higher hip fracture admission rates in men from Chile. This supports the idea that solar radiation, a surrogate of vitamin D, may be involved in the development of fractures in older population. INTRODUCTION : To explore the associations between solar radiation and latitude with hip fracture admission rates in people aged 65 years or older in Chile, the country with the greatest variation in solar radiation in the world. METHODS: In this ecological study, we investigated the associations between regional solar radiation and latitude with hospitalizations due to hip fracture in population aged 65 years or older, by reviewing national records between 2013 and 2018. We also evaluated the role of sociodemographic factors such as poverty, education, indigenous ethnicity, and rurality rates. RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2018, there were 44,328 admissions due to hip fracture in people aged 65 years or older; 77.5% were women and 65.1% were aged 80 years or older. The national admission rate was 389.3 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 382.4-396.2). The highest admission rate was registered in the Region IX (445.3 per 100,000, 95% CI: 398.3-492.4), which has the highest poverty rates, indigenous ethnicity rates, and rurality rates. We found a north-south increasing gradient of admission rates in men (ß=1.5 [95% CI: 0 to 3], p=0.044) and a significant association between solar radiation and admission rates in men (ß=-4.4 [95% CI: -8 to 0.8], p=0.02). Admission rates in men were also associated with sociodemographic variables such as poverty (ß=2.4 [95% CI: 0 to 4.8], p=0.048) and rurality rates (ß=1.2 [95% CI: 0.1 to 2.4], p=0.039). CONCLUSION: Regional solar radiation and latitude were associated with hip fracture admission rates in men aged 65 years or older in Chile, with highest admission rates at higher latitudes and lower solar radiation.