# Clinical and Sociodemographic Characterization of Mexican Cohort with Pseudoarthrosis: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional, and Descriptive Study

## TL;DR

This study characterizes the clinical and sociodemographic features of a Mexican cohort with pseudoarthrosis, highlighting common risk factors and affected bones.

## Contribution

The study provides the first detailed clinical and sociodemographic characterization of pseudoarthrosis in a Mexican population.

## Key findings

- The tibia was the most commonly affected bone in the cohort.
- Overweight, obesity, osteoporosis, and smoking were prevalent among patients.
- Men aged 46–75 years were the most frequently affected group.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Pseudoarthrosis continues to be a public health problem; however, in our country, information is scarce, particularly when talking about the clinical and sociodemographic characterization of the Mexican population with pseudoarthrosis. Methods: In this study, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics such as sex, age, educational level, nutritional status, comorbidities, affected bone, fracture characteristics, degree of exposure, and waiting time for the patient to undergo surgery were analyzed. Results: A total of 267 patients were included in the present study. A higher frequency of men (53.6%) was identified compared to women, and the main age group was 46–75 years (50.1%). The main comorbidities identified in our population were smoking (n = 141; 52.8%) and osteoporosis (n = 84; 31.5%). When evaluating the clinical characteristics of pseudoarthrosis, the tibia (n = 65; 24.3%) and radius (n = 54; 20.2%) were the main bones affected. Fracture exposure could be identified in 17.65% (n = 47) of the population, and the main grade of involvement was II (46.8%). Regarding the prevalence of the affected bone, the tibia was the main one, with 13.5% (9.38–17.58%) female patients, 12.7% (8.73–16.73%) with overweight, 18.0% (13.37–22.59%) with osteoporosis, and 14.2% (10.04–18.42%) with a history of smoking. Conclusions: In our cohort, we identified a high prevalence of the tibia as the affected bone, while overweight, obesity, osteoporosis, and smoking were the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics that characterized our population. The findings of this study lay the groundwork for understanding the clinical and sociodemographic context of a Mexican cohort with nonunion.