Impact of Number of Drug Types on Clinical Outcome in Patients with Acute Hip Fracture.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of the number of drug types on clinical outcomes for patients with acute hip fracture. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. A hospital-based database constructed by the Japan Medical Data Center. Consecutive patients exhibiting acute hip fractures on admission between April 2014 and November 2017 were included. Relationships among the numbers of varying drug types of ≥6 and ≤5 as well as clinical outcomes were analyzed in 11,073 patients aged ≥65 years. The primary outcome was defined as the Barthel Index efficiency, with the secondary outcome being the length of hospital stay. Median Barthel Index scores at admission and discharge were 5 (interquartile range: 5-20) and 50 (interquartile range: 20-85). The Barthel Index efficiency was significantly higher in the group having received 5 or fewer drug variations taken (1.45 ± 1.77) than in the group receiving 6 or more drug types taken (0.94 ± 1.18) during hospital stays (p < 0.001). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the group receiving 5 or fewer drug types taken (29.9 ± 23.8) than in the group having 6 or more drug types taken (44.3 ± 30.3) during hospital stays (p < 0.001), with the latter number being independently associated with the Barthel Index efficiency and length of hospital stay. Number of drug types of 6 or more were associated with lower Barthel Index efficiency and longer lengths of hospital stays.