Hip Fracture Research Articles

Does distance to hospital and interhospital transfer negatively impact time to definitive fixation and outcomes in patients with fractured neck of femur in a rural setting?

This study aims to investigate in patients over 65 with neck of femur (NOF) fractures in Rural Australia, does initial presentation to a peripheral hospital result in a delay to surgery? Retrospective cohort study. Dubba Base Hospital, Trauma Hospital Rural Australia(Modified Monash Model (MMM) 3) and catchment area (MMM 3-7), NSW, Australia. The study includes 350 patients over 65, presenting with closed, unilateral NOF fractures who underwent operative management at the operating centre, 203 from peripheral hospitals. Primary outcomes include time to surgery and adherence to recommended timeframes for NOF fixation. Secondary outcomes encompass complications, hospital length of stay and a subgroup analysis to identify causes of surgery delay. Patients transferred from peripheral hospitals experienced a statistically significant delay in time from presentation to surgery compared to those presenting directly to the operating centre (42 h vs. 24 h, p < 0.001) and were more likely to be outside of current guidelines for NOF fixation within 36 h of presentation (OR 5.1, p < 0.001). There were no differences in mortality at 1 year between the two groups (15% vs. 18%, p = 0.5). On subgroup analysis, distance from the operating centre, time to x-ray and after-hours presentation were associated with increased likelihood of surgery outside of 36 h in the peripheral hospital group. This study underscores an inequity in service delivery for rural patients with NOF fractures, particularly those requiring transfer. Pre-arrival delays necessitate targeted interventions to address diagnostic service delays, logistical challenges and transport issues in rural health care.

Cervical Degenerative Myelopathy is an Unexpected Risk Factor for Hip Fractures.

Cross-sectional study. To assess the potential role of degenerative myelopathy as a risk factor for major fragility fractures in older patients. Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) stands as the foremost spinal disorder affecting adults, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. However, it is often underdiagnosed, with its prevalence traditionally considered low (0.06%-0.112%). Despite the rising prevalence of hip fractures with an aging population and the identification of numerous risk factors, DCM is not typically regarded as a primary risk factor for such fractures. In 2015, an American study revealed an unexpectedly high rate of 18% of undiagnosed DCM in patients with hip fractures within a small cohort. We sought to replicate this study in a larger cohort of a European population. Our cross-sectional study targeted patients older than 65 years with hip fractures and aimed to identify cases of DCM at the time of fracture. Exclusions were made for patients with preexisting DCM diagnoses, neurological disorders, prior cervical surgeries, and instances of high-energy trauma. Comprehensive demographic, clinical, and radiologic data were collected, followed by descriptive and statistical analysis. In our study, 147 patients (mean age: 82.9y) were included. Through a combination of clinical assessment and physical examination, 23 patients (15.6%) were identified as indicative of myelopathy. Confirmation through magnetic resonance imaging led to an estimated overall prevalence of DCM at 10.5%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of hypertonic reflexes, cervical pain, or cervicobrachialgia were specific and valuable indicators for diagnosing myelopathy. This study marks the first investigation of its kind in a European population, highlighting the notably high prevalence of undiagnosed DCM among older patients who have experienced hip fractures. This underscores DCM as a potential risk factor for hip fractures in the elderly, despite its underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Level III.

Relationship between cortical fragments and avascular necrosis of femoral head in young adult femoral neck fractures based on CT imaging

To explore the effect of femoral neck cortical fragments and surfacial area on avascular necrosis(AVN) after internal fixation of femoral neck fractures based on CT imaging in young adult. From January 2011 to January 2021, 218 young and middle-aged patients with femoral neck fractures were reverse triangle fixed with three cannulated lag screws, including 104 males and 114 females;aged 19 to 60 years old with a mean of (48.22±10.58) years old. The preoperative waiting time≤48 h was 155 cases, and the preoperative waiting time> 48 h was 63 cases; 68 cases were comminuted cortex of the femoral neck, 32 of them with superficial area of the comminuted cortex>25 mm2. All patients were followed up for at least 2 years, the age, gender, injury side, body mass index, injury mechanism, preoperative waiting time, operation time, Garden classification, whether femoral neck cortex fracture and size by CT analysis and complications were analyzed the correlation to the definite occurrence of AVN. The AVN group and the non-AVN group were divided according to the final efficacy results.Univariate analysis yielded significant independent variables, Multiple Logistic regression analysis was further performed to identify the independent risk factors for AVN. By univariate analysis, the AVN and non-AVN groups were significant in injury mechanism(χ2=18.552, P=0.000), preoperative waiting time( χ2=2.065, P=0.033), Garden classification (χ2=12.598, P=0.006), comminuted cortex (χ2=16.357, P=0.000), and the superficial area of the comminuted cortex(χ2=23.371, 0.000, P=0.000). Multiple Logistic regression indicated injury mechanism high energy injury[Exp(B)=3.487, 95%CI(1.583, 10.464), P=0.002], comminuted cortex of the femoral neck[Exp(B)=2.494, 95%CI(1.315, 10.861), P=0.002];the superficial area of the comminuted cortex>25 mm2[Exp(B)=22.161, 95%CI(3.922, 1242.828), P=0.001] were independent risk factors for AVN after internal fixation of femoral neck fractures. High energy injury mechanism, with comminuted cortex of the femoral neck and the superficial area of the comminuted cortex> 25 mm2 were independent risk factors for AVN.The larger the superficial area of the cortex fragment may suggest more complicated injury mechanism and worse outcome.

Assessing the feasibility of an integrated collection of education modules for fall and fracture prevention (iCARE) for healthcare providers in long term care: A longitudinal study.

Falls and hip fractures are a major health concern among older adults in long term care (LTC) with almost 50% of residents experiencing a fall annually. Hip fractures are one of the most important and frequent fall-related injuries in LTC. There is moderate to strong certainty evidence that multifactorial interventions may reduce the risk of falls and fractures; however, there is little evidence to support its implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility (recruitment rate and adaptations) with a subobjective to understand facilitators to and barriers of implementing the PREVENT (Person-centred Routine Fracture PreEVENTion) model in practice. The model includes a multifactorial intervention on diet, exercise, environmental adaptations, hip protectors, medications (including calcium and vitamin D), and medication reviews to treat residents at high risk of fracture. Our secondary outcomes were to determine if there was a change in knowledge uptake of the guidelines among healthcare providers and in the proportion of fracture prevention prescriptions post-intervention. We conducted a mixed-methods longitudinal cohort study in three LTC homes across southern Ontario. A local champion was selected to help guide the implementation of the model and promote best practices. We reported recruitment rates using descriptive statistics and challenges to implementation using content analysis. We reported changes in knowledge uptake and in the proportion of fracture prevention medications using the McNemar's test. We recruited three LTC homes and identified one local champion for each home. We required two months to identify and train the local champion over three, 1.5-hour train-the-trainer sessions, and the local champion required three months to deliver the intervention to a team of healthcare professionals. We identified several facilitators, barriers, and adaptations to PREVENT. Benefits of the model include easy access to the Fracture Risk Scale (FRS), clear and succinct educational material catered to each healthcare professional, and an accredited Continuing Medical Educational module for physicians and nurses. Challenges included misperceptions between the differences in fall and fracture prevention strategies, fear of perceived side effects associated with fracture prevention medications, and time barriers with completing the audit report. Our study found an increase knowledge uptake of the guidelines and an increase in the proportion of fracture prevention prescriptions post-intervention.

Plasma sTWEAK, diabetes mellitus, and bone fractures in postmenopausal women

BackgroundCytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), may have pivotal roles in regulating bone remodeling in osteoporosis. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential association between plasma sTWEAK levels and bone fractures in diabetes mellitus (DM) and postmenopausal conditions. MethodsA nested case–control study was conducted within a cohort comprising 1057 postmenopausal women in Santa Maria. We analyzed 52 subjects who reported major bone fractures (defined as hip, forearm, humerus, or clinical vertebral fractures occurring after the age of 45 years, excluding high-impact fractures) and 110 subjects who did not experience fractures. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding clinical data, and anthropometric evaluations were conducted. Blood samples were collected for biochemical profiling, and sTWEAK plasma concentrations were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Logarithmic transformation was applied to asymmetric variables. Student's t-test or Mann–Whitney test was utilized to compare data between two groups, while ANOVA or Chi-square test was employed for comparisons involving more than two groups. ResultsDiabetic subjects exhibited lower plasma levels of sTWEAK (p = 0.002). However, no significant differences were observed concerning the presence of bone fractures. ConclusionsPlasma levels of sTWEAK were not found to be associated with bone fragility in postmenopausal women. Nonetheless, reduced plasma levels of this cytokine were linked to diabetes mellitus.

A comparative study between multiple cannulated screws and dynamic hip screw for fixation of femoral neck fracture in adults: radiological and functional outcomes

A comparative study between multiple cannulated screws and dynamic hip screw for fixation of femoral neck fracture in adults: radiological and functional outcomes

In Silico Clinical Trial for Osteoporosis Treatments to Prevent Hip Fractures: Simulation of the Placebo Arm.

Osteoporosis represents a major healthcare concern. The development of novel treatments presents challenges due to the limited cost-effectiveness of clinical trials and ethical concerns associated with placebo-controlled trials. Computational models for the design and assessment of biomedical products (In Silico Trials) are emerging as a promising alternative. In this study, a novel In Silico Trial technology (BoneStrength) was applied to replicate the placebo arms of two concluded clinical trials and its accuracy in predicting hip fracture incidence was evaluated. Two virtual cohorts (N = 1238 and 1226, respectively) were generated by sampling a statistical anatomy atlas based on CT scans of proximal femurs. Baseline characteristics were equivalent to those reported for the clinical cohorts. Fall events were sampled from a Poisson distribution. A multiscale stochastic model was implemented to estimate the impact force associated to each fall. Finite Element models were used to predict femur strength. Fracture incidence in 3years follow-up was computed with a Markov chain approach; a patient was considered fractured if the impact force associated with a fall exceeded femur strength. Ten realizations of the stochastic process were run to reach convergence. Each realization required approximately 2500 FE simulations, solved using High-Performance Computing infrastructures. Predicted number of fractures was 12 ± 2 and 18 ± 4 for the two cohorts, respectively. The predicted incidence range consistently included the reported clinical data, although on average fracture incidence was overestimated. These findings highlight the potential of BoneStrength for future applications in drug development and assessment.

Effect of the orthogeriatric co-management on older hip fracture patients with multimorbidity: a post-hoc exploratory subgroup analysis of a non-randomised controlled trial

BackgroundHip fracture and multimorbidity represent significant health challenges for older people. Despite evidence that orthogeriatric co-management improves hip fracture management and patients’ health outcomes, there is little evidence to understand its effectiveness for patients with multimorbidity. The study aimed to assess the effect of the orthogeriatric co-management care model on older hip fracture patients with multimorbidity.MethodsThis study was a post-hoc analysis of a recently completed trial. Patients were admitted to three urban hospitals and three suburban hospitals in Beijing, with diagnosed hip fracture. One urban hospital (intervention group) implemented the orthogeriatric co-management, while other hospitals (control group) continued orthopedics-led usual care. All enrolled patients were followed-up for three times within one year. Study outcome was patients’ one-year cumulative adverse events, including re-operation, complication and death. Logistic regression models were used to compare the differences between the intervention and control groups, with adjustment for all potential confounders.ResultA total of 2,071 patients with hip fracture (1,110 intervention, 961 control) were included. More than half of the patients had multimorbidity. Hypertension and diabetes were the leading disease cluster, while hypertension was the most prevalent disease condition across all observed disease clusters. Older hip fracture patients with multimorbidity in the intervention group saw a significantly reduced risk of adverse events compared to the control group (Odds Ratio = 0.59, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.48 to 0.73).ConclusionMultimorbidity is common among older hip fracture patients. Orthogeriatric co-management provides better outcomes for patients with multimorbidity, in reducing the risk of adverse events after a hip fracture.Clinical trial registration informationThe study was a post-hoc analysis using data from a non-randomized controlled trial.Registry name: Services Mapping Among Older Adults With Hip Fracture (HiFit)ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03184896URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03184896

Post-operative periprosthetic femoral fractures in England: Patient profiles and short-term outcomes

Background and objectivePost-operative periprosthetic femoral fractures (POPFF) present a growing challenge for healthcare services, but there are limited national data on patient profiles, short-term outcomes, and post-discharge follow-up. We aimed to fill these gaps. MethodsUsing Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), we identified POPFF discharges from hospitals in England for patients aged 18 and above between April 2016 and December 2022. We flagged prior admissions for hip fracture and elective hip or knee replacement surgery (primary, revision or re-revision) between April 2000 and the day of the POPFF admission date. We extracted information on patient factors, treatment modes for POPFF (nonoperative, fixation, revision), and outcomes (in-hospital mortality, length of stay, unplanned readmission). We used outpatient data to summarise post-hospitalisation follow-up. ResultsOf 39,035 cases, 65.9 % were female; the median age was 82 years. HES data identified that 34.0 % had previously undergone elective hip replacement, 26.2 % elective knee replacement, and 22.8 % surgery for hip fracture. Those with a prior hip fracture were more likely to have delirium during the index POPFF admission, and, compared with those with a prior elective hip or knee replacement, they faced higher in-hospital mortality (5.1 % vs 3.2 % and 3.6 %, respectively), rates of readmission (15.4 % vs 13.1 % and 12.8 %, respectively), and hip re-fracture after POPFF (2.9 % vs 1.2 % and 1.6 %, respectively). Their median length of stay was longer (16 vs 14 days, p < 0.001). The most common reason for hospital readmission following POPFF was another fracture (11.3 % of all readmissions). Overall, 74 % of patients were discharged from outpatient follow-up within 12 months. ConclusionThis is the first national description of the burden of adverse outcomes for people with POPFF in England, of whom a large proportion require ongoing specialist support. Fewer POPFF cases follow prior hip fracture surgery than elective joint replacement, but these patients face higher risks of worse outcomes. With an expected increasing incidence of POPFF, this may have considerable health service implications.

Trends in Medicare Utilization and Reimbursement for Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures: A 21-Year Review.

Sliding hip screw (SHS) and intramedullary (IMN) constructs are commonly utilized treatments for intertrochanteric (IT) femur fractures. The aim of this study was to assess the economic and utilization trends in the management of IT fractures among the Medicare population over the last 21years. A review of the publicly available Medicare Part B National Summary Data File for years 2000-2021 was performed. Collected data included true physician reimbursement and utilization numbers for all CPT codes pertaining to fixation of IT fractures with either SHS or IMN. A total of 1,361,112 IMN implants and 739,032 SHS implants were billed to Medicare for intertrochanteric femur fractures during the studied timeline. In this 21-year span, utilization of IMN increased 695% (9648-76,667), while utilization of SHS decreased by 96% (94,223-4224). After adjusting for inflation, the average physician reimbursement for SHS decreased by 34%, while IMN decreased by 41%. Absolute physician reimbursement was found to be $943.36 for SHS and $999.88 for IMN constructs. Intramedullary implants are being increasingly utilized while sliding hip screw, and intramedullary construct reimbursement continues to decrease for intertrochanteric femur fracture fixation. These trends suggest that opting for a sliding hip screw may be more cost-effective when the fracture pattern allows for either construct.

High prevalence of osteoporosis among virally suppressed older people (≥60 years) living with HIV.

Our objective was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) among older people living with HIV at the time of enrolment into a clinical trial in Kenya. The bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BFTAF) Elderly Study is a clinical trial among virally suppressed people living with HIV aged ≥60 years randomized to switch to BFTAF or continue their pre-enrolment regimen. At enrolment, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck was performed and T-scores calculated for BMD. Osteoporosis was defined as T-score -2.5 or lower and osteopenia as T-score between -1 and -2.5. Fracture risk was calculated based on clinical risk factors (not including BMD), considering HIV as a secondary cause of osteoporosis, and the correlation between FRAX®-HIV and BMD assessed. Between February and May 2022, a total of 296 participants were enrolled. All were Black African, 147 (49.7%) were female, the median age was 64 years (range 60-77), and 280 (94.6%) were on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. The median BMD of lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck was 0.87 g/cm2 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.78-0.99), 0.89 g/cm2 (IQR 0.79-1.01), and 0.75 g/cm2 (IQR 0.67-0.84), respectively, with median T-scores of -1.9 (IQR -2.8 to -0.7), -1.0 (IQR -1.9 to -0.3), and -1.5 (IQR -2.2 to -0.9), respectively. Osteoporosis and osteopenia were found in 37.5% and 47.3% of participants, respectively. Major osteoporotic fracture and hip fracture 10-year median probabilities using FRAX®-HIV were 3.4% (IQR 2.8-4.6) and 1.0% (IQR 0.7-1.3). Correlation coefficients between these FRAX®-HIV probabilities and femoral neck BMD were -0.204 for major osteoporotic fracture and -0.338 for hip fracture. The prevalence of osteoporosis is high among older people living with HIV in Kenya, where DXA is not readily available and risk calculation without BMD had low correlation with measured BMD values. Additional data are required on the impact of investment in fracture risk assessment and treatment, including population-specific risk calculators.

Novel approach to bone comorbidity in resistant acromegaly.

Active acromegaly may lead to irreversible complications. Among them, acromegaly osteopathy and fragility (vertebral and hip) fractures have emerged as frequent and precocious events in the natural history of the disease, being correlated with longer disease duration and higher growth hormone (GH) levels, accounting for patients' reported poor quality of life, physical performance and other life-impacting complications. Differently from primary osteoporosis, bone mineral density is not a reliable tool to predict fracture risk in this clinical setting, as patients with active disease frequently have normal or slightly reduced bone mass; whereas bone quality is particularly compromised, as determined by low trabecular bone score (TBS) in patients with active disease as compared to healthy controls or patients with cured/controlled disease. The evidence of impaired bone microstructure has been profoundly investigated with different computed tomography (CT) techniques, reporting low trabecular number and thickness as well as wide but more porous cortical bone, providing an explanation for such a high prevalence of vertebral fractures (up to 40-50% in selected cohorts). Since data on bone-active drugs are scanty, disease control remains a cornerstone to prevent fractures. Nonetheless, some potential protective effects may derive from vitamin D supplementation and pasireotide therapies, independently from disease status. Aim of this manuscript is to review the current and emerging evidence on skeletal fragility in patients with active and resistant acromegaly.

The relationship between intraoperative glucose levels and length of hospital stay in patients with a femoral neck fracture: a retrospective study based on the MIMIC-IV database.

This retrospective study aimed to explore the relationship between intraoperative glucose (IG) and the length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients with femoral neck fractures via the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database. A generalized additive model was performed to explore the relationship between IG levels and LOS. Restricted cubic spline curves were used to analyze the dose-response relationship between IG levels and prolonged LOS (or 7-day LOS). Threshold effect analysis was conducted to assess the key points influencing their association. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed to evaluate the predictive performance of IG levels for LOS. A total of 743 patients with femoral neck fractures were enrolled from the MIMIC-IV database. We found that there was a non-linear relationship between IG and the LOS (or prolonged LOS/>7 days LOS). Moreover, their relationship was still significant even after adjusting for potential confounders. The threshold effect showed that IG was significantly related to a prolonged LOS when it was >137 mg/dl, and IG was significantly related to a 7-day LOS when it was >163 mg/dl. ROC showed that IG had a better function in predicting a 7-day LOS in participants with IG >163 mg/dl than in predicting a prolonged LOS among participants with IG >137 mg/dl. Moreover, the DCA results showed that IG can obtain a favorable net benefit in clinical settings in predicting a 7-day LOS among participants with IG >163 mg/dl. In summary, there was a non-linear relationship between IG levels and LOS. In patients with IG levels >163 mg/dl, using IG content to predict an LOS >7 days had a good function.

Establishment and validation of clinical prediction model and prognosis of perioperative pneumonia in elderly patients with hip fracture complicated with preoperative acute heart failure

BackgroundElderly hip fracture was a common orthopedic emergency with high perioperative complication risks. Combined with preoperative acute heart failure, the risk increases further, with pneumonia being a common complication. The aim of this study was to construct and evaluate risk factor prediction models for perioperative pneumonia in these patients and to explore prognostic factors.MethodsA retrospective study design was used to collect data on elderly patients with hip fracture combined with preoperative acute heart failure at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2020 to December 2022. The feature variables were screened by logistic regression and nomogram was constructed. The receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC), decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration curve were employed to assess the predictive power of the model. Correlation heatmaps and shapley additive explanation (SHAP) were employed to assess key variables and their impact. Employing the Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression, the patients’ prognosis was ultimately evaluated.Results535 elderly patients with hip fracture combined with preoperative acute heart failure were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify combined respiratory disease, hemoglobin, albumin, neutrophils, and blood glucose as independent danger factors for perioperative pneumonia (p < 0.05). The nomogram was designed to display the outcomes instinctively, with an AUC of 0.819. The model was internally validated by initiating self-sampling 1000 times. The calibration curve indicated that the model had excellent treaty. The DCA curve showed that the model had good validity and clinical practicability. Correlation heatmaps and SHAP were visualized and analyzed. The K-M curves indicated that the prognosis of the non-pneumonia group was better than that of the pneumonia group (p = 0.014). COX regression analysis found that the major risk factors for all-cause mortality in patients with acute heart failure(AHF) were age, brain natriuretic peptide, platelet count, and combined respiratory failure (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe prediction model, established in this study, was highly accurate and proved a potent instrument for clinical evaluation of the perioperative pneumonia risk of elderly hip fracture patients with preoperative acute heart failure. We hope that this study can reduce the occurrence of perioperative pneumonia in patients and improve the prognosis of patients.

Automated EEG-Based Brainwave Analysis for the Detection of Postoperative Delirium Does Not Result in a Shorter Length of Stay in Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Delirium in postoperative geriatric hip fracture patients is a serious and often preventable condition. If detected in time, it can be treated, but a delay in the diagnosis and initiation of treatment impairs outcomes. A novel approach to detect delirium is to use point-of-care electro-encephalogram (EEG) recording with automated analysis. In this study, the authors investigated whether screening for delirium with EEG recording and automated analysis resulted in reduced length of stay after surgery and superior screening performance in comparison to the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOS). Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted at two geriatric trauma centres in the Netherlands. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 70 years or above, were admitted to the geriatric trauma unit and undergoing surgery for a hip fracture. Patients were randomized to either the intervention (EEG-based brainwave analysis) or control group (DOSS screening tool). Participants were screened for delirium twice a day during three consecutive days starting at day 0 of the surgery, with the first measurement before the surgery. The primary outcome was length of stay. In addition, the screening performance for both automated EEG-based brainwave analysis and DOS was determined. Results: A total of 388 patients were included (189 per arm). There were no differences between groups in terms of median hospital length of stay (DOS 7 days (IQR 5.75-9) vs. EEG-based brainwave analysis 7 days (IQR 5-9); p = 0.867). The performance of EEG-based brainwave analysis was considerably lower than that of the DOSS in terms of discrimination between patients with and without postoperative delirium. Conclusions: Screening for postoperative delirium in geriatric hip fracture patients using automated EEG-based brainwave analysis did not result in a shorter length of stay. Additionally, the results of this study show no clear advantage in terms of the screening performance of EEG-based brainwave analysis over the current standard of care for geriatric patients with a hip fracture.

Fear of falling and its related factors in older adults following a fall in Kashan, Iran (2023–2024)

BackgroundFalling is a significant challenge in old age, often leading to isolation, self-imposed limitation, reduced movement, and muscle strength. This study aimed to explore the fear of falling and its related factors in older adults following a fall in Kashan, Iran.MethodsThis cross-sectional study followed 200 older adults who visited medical centers in Kashan from July 2023 to May 2024. Continuous sampling was carried out. Data collection involved a background information questionnaire, the shortened version of the falls efficacy scale-international in older adults, the independence scale of activities of daily living, and the short-form state-trait anxiety inventory. Data were gathered before, one month, and three months after the fall. Data analysis utilized SPSS-24, including t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and repeated measures analysis of variance.ResultsParticipants had a mean age of 71.34 ± 8.36 years (ranging from 65 to 96 years). There was a significant increase in fear of falling scores one month and three months after the fall (P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed that factors such as illiteracy, old age, and previous falls were predictors of fear of falling before the fall (P < 0.05). One month after the fall, predictors included illiteracy, hip fracture, and high anxiety scores (P < 0.05). Three months after the fall, predictors encompassed illiteracy, hip fracture, high anxiety score, and internal fixator placement as a treatment intervention (P < 0.05), explaining 15% of the variance in fear of falling.ConclusionsIdentifying predictive factors for fear of falling can assist health policymakers in developing a holistic care plan to enhance the quality of life for older adults post-fall. It is essential to screen for fear of falling levels, particularly after trauma, offer educational counseling services, particularly in mental health, after discharge, and prepare training programs related to fall prevention.

Femoral nerve and lumbo-sacral erector spinae plane blocks in hip fracture: an alternative to neuraxial anesthesia?

Femoral nerve and lumbo-sacral erector spinae plane blocks in hip fracture: an alternative to neuraxial anesthesia?

Hemostatic Effect and Safety of TXA: An Umbrella Review

Aim: To evaluate the hemostatic effect and safety of TXA. Methods: Meta-analyses were retrieved from databases. Risk ratios (RR), odds ratios (OR), weighted mean difference (WMD), standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted to compare the effeteness of TXA in reducing TBL, transfusion rate, Hb drop, mortality, DVT, PE. Results: In total, 136 trials (396 comparisons) including 17 kinds of surgeries were retrieved. The evidence for TXA using in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total hip arthroplasty (THA), postpartum bleeding, intertrochanteric fractures, orthopaedic surgery, spinal surgery, shoulder arthroplasty, hip fracture surgery, cardiac surgery, menstrual bleeding, plastic surgery, myomectomy, nasal surgery was assessed as possible for the association of reducing TBL. The evidence for TXA using in TKA, THA, postpartum bleeding, orthopaedic surgery, shoulder arthroplasty was assessed as probable for the association of reducing transfusion rate. The evidence for TXA using in liver surgery, spinal surgery, hip fracture surgery, cancer, cardiac surgery was considered to be possible for the association of reducing transfusion rate. The evidence for TXA using in intertrochanteric fractures, orthopaedic surgery, hip fracture surgery was assessed as probable for the association of reducing Hb drop. The evidence for TXA using in TKA, THA, postpartum bleeding, shoulder arthroplasty was considered to be possible for the association of reducing Hb drop. The evidence for TXA using in trauma, gastrointestinal bleeding was assessed as probable for the association of reducing mortality. Conclusion: This umbrella review indicated that TXA was regarded as effective to reduce TBL, transfusion rate, Hb drop, mortality, and did not increase the incidence of DVT and PE. However, more convincing evidence should be provided to further clarify the level of efficacy and safety of TXA.

Machine Learning Algorithms Exceed Comorbidity Indices in Prediction of Short-Term Complications After Hip Fracture Surgery.

Hip fractures are among the most morbid acute orthopaedic injuries often due to accompanying patient frailty. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of assessing surgical risk after hip fracture through machine learning (ML) algorithms. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried from 2011 to 2018 and the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hip fracture-targeted data set was queried from 2016 to 2018 for all patients undergoing surgical fixation for a diagnosis of an acute primary hip fracture. The data set was randomly split into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. 3 ML algorithms were used to train models in the prediction of extended hospital length of stay (LOS) >13 days, death, readmissions, home discharge, transfusion, and any medical complication. Testing sets were assessed by receiver operating characteristic, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) and were compared with models constructed from legacy comorbidity indices such as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, modified Charlson Comorbidity Index, frailty index, and Nottingham Hip Fracture Score. Following inclusion/exclusion criteria, 95,745 cases were available in the overall data set and 22,344 in the targeted data set. ML models outperformed comorbidity indices for each complication by area under the curve (AUC) analysis (P < 0.01 for each): medical complications (AUC=0.65, PPV=67.5, NPV=71.7), death (AUC=0.80, PPV=46.7, NPV=94.9), extended LOS (AUC=0.69, PPV=71.4, NPV=94.1), transfusion (AUC=0.79, PPV=64.2, NPV=77.4), readmissions (AUC=0.63, PPV=0, NPV=96.8), and home discharge (AUC=0.74, PPV=65.9, NPV=76.7). In comparison, the best performing legacy index for each complication was medical complication (ASA: AUC=0.60), death (NHFS: AUC=0.70), extended LOS (ASA: AUC=0.62), transfusion (ASA: AUC=0.57), readmissions (CCI: AUC=0.58), and home discharge (ASA: AUC=0.61). ML algorithms offer an improved method to holistically calculate preoperative risk of patient morbidity, mortality, and discharge destination. Through continued validation, risk calculators using these algorithms may inform medical decision making to providers and payers.

Fracture in Association with Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use has been associated with a lower risk of adverse events relative to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. Little is known about the risk of fracture in association with anticoagulant therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: We conducted a new user, active comparator cohort study in a United States-based commercial claims database spanning 2013 through 2020 to quantify the comparative risk of fracture associated with select DOACs (apixaban or rivaroxaban) versus warfarin. Individuals were required to have International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes for CKD (stages 3-5) and atrial fibrillation during the 365-day baseline period before anticoagulant initiation. Primary analyses quantified non-vertebral fracture risk between patients initiating DOACs and warfarin using a 1:1 propensity score-matched design. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of non-vertebral fracture. Secondary analyses evaluated risks of hip fracture and all-cause mortality. Results: The 1:1 propensity score-matched population included 14,370 DOAC initiators and 14,370 warfarin initiators. The mean age at anticoagulant initiation was 77 years, and 45% were female. The HR for non-vertebral fracture comparing DOACs to warfarin was 1.12 (95% CI 0.95, 1.32), and the corresponding incidence rate difference (IRD) per 1,000 person-years was 3.55 (95% CI -1.67, 8.76). The HR and IRD comparing DOACs to warfarin were 0.98 (95% CI 0.68, 1.41) and -0.13 (95% CI, -2.52, 2.25), respectively for hip fracture and 0.91 (95% CI 0.85, 0.98) and -17.23 (95% CI, -29.49, -4.96), respectively for all-cause mortality. Conclusions: In patients with CKD and atrial fibrillation, we did not observe a difference in the rates of fracture between DOAC and warfarin initiators. DOAC use relative to warfarin was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality.