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Epidemiology of clubfoot in Sweden from 2016 to 2019 : A national register study

Esbjörnsson, Anna-Clara LU ; Johansson, Arne LU ; Andriesse, Hanneke LU and Wallander, Henrik (2021) In PLoS ONE 16(12).
Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the birth prevalence of children born with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot in Sweden using a national clubfoot register. Secondarily we aimed to describe the clubfoot population with respect to sex, laterality, severity of deformity, comorbidity and geographic location.

METHODS: A national register, the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality register, was used to extract data on newborn children with clubfoot. To calculate the birth prevalence of children with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot between 1st of January 2016 and 31st of December 2019, we used official reports of the total number of Swedish live births from the Swedish Board of Statistics. The Pirani score and predefined signs... (More)

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the birth prevalence of children born with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot in Sweden using a national clubfoot register. Secondarily we aimed to describe the clubfoot population with respect to sex, laterality, severity of deformity, comorbidity and geographic location.

METHODS: A national register, the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality register, was used to extract data on newborn children with clubfoot. To calculate the birth prevalence of children with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot between 1st of January 2016 and 31st of December 2019, we used official reports of the total number of Swedish live births from the Swedish Board of Statistics. The Pirani score and predefined signs of atypical clubfoot were used to classify clubfoot severity at birth.

RESULTS: In total 612 children with clubfoot were identified. Of these, 564 were children with isolated clubfoot, generating a birth prevalence of 1.24/1000 live births (95% confidence interval 1.15-1.35). About 8% were children with non-isolated clubfoot, increasing the birth prevalence to 1.35/1000 live births (95% confidence interval 1.25-1.46). Of the children with isolated clubfoot, 74% were boys and 47% had bilateral involvement. The children with non-isolated clubfoot had more severe foot deformities at birth and a greater proportion of clubfeet with atypical signs compared with children with isolated clubfoot.

CONCLUSION: We have established the birth prevalence of children born with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot in Sweden based on data from a national register. Moreover, we have estimated the number of children born with atypical clubfeet in instances of both isolated and non-isolated clubfoot. These numbers may serve as a baseline for expected birth prevalence when planning clubfoot treatment and when evaluating time trends of children born with clubfoot.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
16
issue
12
article number
e0260336
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85120705563
  • pmid:34855788
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0260336
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
366b924a-2f21-44ed-9cc2-5cdcaabbbb71
date added to LUP
2021-12-03 14:58:42
date last changed
2024-03-23 15:23:38
@article{366b924a-2f21-44ed-9cc2-5cdcaabbbb71,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the birth prevalence of children born with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot in Sweden using a national clubfoot register. Secondarily we aimed to describe the clubfoot population with respect to sex, laterality, severity of deformity, comorbidity and geographic location.</p><p>METHODS: A national register, the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality register, was used to extract data on newborn children with clubfoot. To calculate the birth prevalence of children with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot between 1st of January 2016 and 31st of December 2019, we used official reports of the total number of Swedish live births from the Swedish Board of Statistics. The Pirani score and predefined signs of atypical clubfoot were used to classify clubfoot severity at birth.</p><p>RESULTS: In total 612 children with clubfoot were identified. Of these, 564 were children with isolated clubfoot, generating a birth prevalence of 1.24/1000 live births (95% confidence interval 1.15-1.35). About 8% were children with non-isolated clubfoot, increasing the birth prevalence to 1.35/1000 live births (95% confidence interval 1.25-1.46). Of the children with isolated clubfoot, 74% were boys and 47% had bilateral involvement. The children with non-isolated clubfoot had more severe foot deformities at birth and a greater proportion of clubfeet with atypical signs compared with children with isolated clubfoot.</p><p>CONCLUSION: We have established the birth prevalence of children born with isolated or non-isolated clubfoot in Sweden based on data from a national register. Moreover, we have estimated the number of children born with atypical clubfeet in instances of both isolated and non-isolated clubfoot. These numbers may serve as a baseline for expected birth prevalence when planning clubfoot treatment and when evaluating time trends of children born with clubfoot.</p>}},
  author       = {{Esbjörnsson, Anna-Clara and Johansson, Arne and Andriesse, Hanneke and Wallander, Henrik}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Epidemiology of clubfoot in Sweden from 2016 to 2019 : A national register study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260336}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0260336}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}