Epidemiology of Achilles Tendon Rupture in South Korea: Claims Data of the National Health Insurance Service from 2009 to 2017

BACKGROUND: The incidence of Achilles tendon rupture and its trend has not been studied in Asia. The purpose of this nationwide study was to analyze the trend of incidence and surgical treatment of tendon ruptures in South Korea based on sex, age, and income level of patients, as well as seasonal variation. METHODS: A descriptive epidemiologic study was performed based on the data collected retrospectively from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. Data of all outpatients and inpatients were collected from approximately 52 million residents of South Korea, primarily diagnosed with Achilles tendon rupture from 2009 to 2017. RESULTS: A total of 112,350 patients had Achilles tendon rupture, of which 44,248 patients underwent surgical treatment during the study period. The overall, age-specific, and sex-specific incidence of Achilles tendon rupture and surgical treatment showed an increasing trend. Patients in the age group of 41 to 50 years showed the highest increase in incidence. Regarding season, higher incidence was reported during spring and summer, whereas the lowest incidence was found in winter. Higher income level was associated with increased incidence of the condition. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of Achilles tendon rupture and surgical treatments increased rapidly in patients between 41 and 50 years of age. Patients in the higher income quintile groups experienced more Achilles tendon injury than those in lower income groups, and fewer ruptures were observed during winter.