Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery Research Articles

Frailty is More Predictive of Mortality than Age in Patients with Hip Fractures

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment-based Frailty Index (FI) and adverse outcomes in older adult patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. METHODS: Design: Retrospective cohort study Setting: Academic Level 1 Trauma Center. Patients: All patients aged 65 or older who underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture between May 2018 and August 2020 were identified through institutional database review. Outcome Measures and Comparisons: Data including demographics, FI, injury presentation, and hospital course were collected. Patients were grouped by FI as non-frail (FI < 0.21), frail (0.21≤FI<0.45), and severely frail (FI >0.45). Adverse outcomes of these groups were compared using Kaplan Meier survival analysis. Risk factors for one-year re-hospitalization and two-year mortality were evaluated using Cox hazard regression. RESULTS: 316 patients were included, with 62 non-frail, 185 frail, and 69 severely frail patients. The total population was on average 83.8 years old, predominantly white (88.0%), and majority female (69.9%) with an average FI of 0.33 (SD: 0.14). The non-frail cohort was on average 78.8 years old, 93.6% white, and 80.7% female; the frail cohort was on average 84.5 years old, 92.4% white, and 71.9% female, and the severely frail cohort was on average 86.4 years old, 71.0% white, and 55.1% female. Rate of one-year readmission increased with frailty level, with a rate of 38% in non-frail patients, 55.6% in frail patients, and 74.2% in severely frail patients (p=0.001). The same pattern was seen in two-year mortality rates, with a rate of 2.8% in non-frail patients, 36.7% in frail patients, and 77.5% in severely frail patients (p<0.0001). Being classified as frail or severely frail exhibited greater association with mortality within 2 years than age, with hazard ratio of 17.81 for frail patients and 56.81 for severely frail patients compared to 1.19 per 5 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Increased frailty as measured by the Frailty Index is significantly associated with increased two-year mortality and one-year hospital readmission rates following hip fracture surgery. Degree of frailty predicts mortality more strongly than age alone. Assessing frailty with the Frailty Index can identify higher-risk surgical candidates, facilitate clinical decision-making, and guide discussions about goals of care with family members, surgeons, and geriatricians. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

A feasibility study on preoperative carbohydrate loading in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery

BackgroundPreoperative carbohydrate loading in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery is an independent predictor of postoperative outcomes. By reducing the impact of surgical stress response, fasting-induced insulin resistance is modulated. As a clear fluid, consuming carbohydrate drink is safe up to 2 h preoperatively. Widely practiced in abdominal surgeries, its implementation in hip fracture surgeries is yet to be recognized. This study aimed to identify the feasibility of preoperative carbohydrate loading in hip fracture surgery and assess its clinical effects.MethodsThis was a randomized controlled, open labelled trial. Patients ≥ 65 years old without diabetes mellitus, has hip fracture were recruited in a tertiary hospital between November 2020 and May 2021. The intervention was carbohydrate loading versus standard preoperative fasting.ResultsThirty-four ASA I-III patients (carbohydrate loading and control, n = 17 each), mean age 78 years (SEM ± 1.5), mean body mass index 23.7 (SEM ± 0.6 kg/m2) were recruited. Analysis for feasibility of carbohydrate loading (n = 17) demonstrated attrition rate of 29% (n = 5). Otherwise, all recruited patients were compliant (100% compliance) with no adverse events reported. There was no significant difference among groups in the postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain score, fatigue level, muscle strength, postoperative infection and length of hospital stay assessed at 24–48 h postoperatively.ConclusionThe implementation of preoperative carbohydrate loading was found to be feasible preoperatively in hip fracture surgeries but requires careful coordination among multidisciplinary teams. An adequately powered randomized controlled study is needed to examine the full benefits of preoperative carbohydrate loading in this group of patients.Trial registrationThis study was registered in ClinicalTrial.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04614181, date of registration: 03/11/2020).

Effects of Continuous Analgesic Titrated Spinal Anesthesia in Elderly Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery

Background and Objectives: Anesthetizing elderly patients with hip fractures poses a significant challenge in emergency settings, particularly given the aging population both in Algeria and worldwide. With a high prevalence of comorbidities and polypharmacy, effective anesthetic management becomes paramount. Continuous titrated spinal anesthesia (CTSA) has emerged as a promising technique for addressing these complexities by proposing lower doses of local anesthetic (LA) in this patient population. Methods: This retrospective study involved 40 elderly patients (>65 years) undergoing hip fracture repair. Patients received intermittent dosing of a local anesthetic solution via an intrathecal catheter, utilizing 0.25 ml increments of 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine and 0.25 ml of fentanyl (12.5 μg). Evaluation criteria included hemodynamic stability, incidence of hypotension, extent of sensory and motor blockade, total ephedrine consumption, and patient and surgeon satisfaction. Results: A female predominance was noted, with a mean age of 75 years, and 72% classified as ASA ≥ III. Pertrochanteric fractures accounted for 47% of cases, followed by femoral neck fractures at 53%. Nearly all patients achieved a sensory level ≥ D10, with a failure rate of only 2%. Sedation supplementation was required in 20% of cases, with conversion to general anesthesia in one patient. Complications were minimal, including arterial hypotension (3%), vasoconstrictor use (2%), and bradycardia (0.8%). Overall, both patients and surgeons reported high levels of satisfaction. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that CTSA is an effective technique for elderly patients undergoing hip fracture repair, offering the advantages of reduced LA doses, excellent hemodynamic stability, and minimal side effects. Its simplicity and cost-effectiveness further enhance its appeal in clinical practice.

Sarcopenia, a Risk Predictor of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury in Elderly Patients after Hip Fracture Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis

Background and Objectives: Hip fracture surgery, which affects quality of life, can be a major challenge in geriatric populations. Although sarcopenia is known to be associated with postoperative outcomes, there are few studies on the association between sarcopenia and postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in this population. We investigated the association between sarcopenia and postoperative AKI in elderly patients following hip fracture surgery. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent hip fracture surgery at our institution from March 2019 to December 2021. Patients under the age of 65, patients with no preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and patients with inappropriate cross-sectional images for measurement were excluded. The psoas-lumbar vertebral index (PLVI), which is the ratio of the average area of both psoas muscles to the area of the fourth lumbar vertebral body, was measured from preoperative CT scans. Sarcopenia was defined as a PLVI within the lowest 25% for each sex, and patients were categorized into sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic groups. The occurrence of AKI was determined based on the serum creatinine level within postoperative day 7 using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between clinical variables and the occurrence of AKI. Results: Among the 348 enrolled patients, 92 patients were excluded, and 256 patients were analyzed. The PLVI cutoff values for defining sarcopenia lower than 25% for male and female patients were 0.57 and 0.43, respectively. The overall incidence of AKI was 18.4% (47 patients), and AKI occurred more frequently in sarcopenic patients than in nonsarcopenic patients (29.7% vs. 14.6%, p = 0.007). According to the multivariate logistic regression, which included all variables with a p value < 0.05 in the univariate analysis and adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status, sarcopenia was revealed to be an independent predictor of postoperative AKI (odds ratio = 5.10, 95% confidence interval = 1.77–14.77; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Preoperative sarcopenia, which corresponds to the lowest quartile of PLVI values, is associated with postoperative AKI among elderly patients who underwent hip fracture surgery.

Geriatric nutritional risk index predicts postoperative prognosis in older patients with hip fracture: A meta-analysis.

Hip fracture is common in elderly individuals and is accompanied by a relatively high mortality rate. However, it is currently difficult to accurately predict postoperative prognosis for older patients with hip fractures. The aim of this meta-analysis was to further determine the prognostic value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) for patients who underwent hip fracture surgery. The Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CNKI databases were searched up to September 19, 2023, for available studies. The primary and secondary outcomes were the mortality and complication rates, respectively. Hazard ratios (HRs) and relative risks with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were separately combined to assess the associations between the GNRI and mortality and complication rates. All the statistical analyses were performed with STATA 15.0 and SPSS 22.0 software. A total of 9 studies with 3959 patients were included. The pooled results demonstrated that a lower GNRI was significantly related to an increased risk of postoperative mortality (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.72-0.92, P = .001). In addition, the GNRI predicted the risk of overall postoperative complications (52% vs 35.5%, P = .04) and pneumonia (33.3% vs 13.6%, P = .010). The GNRI might serve as a novel prognostic indicator for older patients with hip fractures, and a lower GNRI indicates an increased risk of postoperative mortality and complication rates.

Orthogeriatric Care Following Hip Fracture: Improving Post-Operative Outcomes in an Aged Population.

Hip fractures globally are associated with high levels of morbidity, mortality, and significant financial burden. This audit aimed to assess the impact of orthogeriatric liaison care on post-operative outcomes following surgical management of neck or femur fractures. Here, 258 patients who underwent hip fracture surgery over 1-year were included. Data were collected as an audit following the transition to an orthogeriatric liaison care model, involving regular orthogeriatric review (thrice weekly ward rounds, daily board rounds), superseding orthogeriatric review as requested. The audit is meant to assess the development of post-operative non-surgical site infection (NSSI) and mortality and duration of inpatient stay. Outcomes were compared to previous data from our hospital site in 2015/2016. Patients with severe cognitive impairment and systemic disease (Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) < 7 and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade ≥ 3) showed significantly elevated NSSI risk, consistent across the study periods. Both periods demonstrated an increased risk of NSSI associated with admission from nursing homes. Despite the 2021/2022 cohort being notably older, NSSI risk decreased from 40.6% to 37.2% after implementing the orthogeriatric care model. NSSI risk was notably reduced for severe cognitive impairment (51.6% vs. 71%), and the p-value was 0.025. Average hospital stay decreased post-intervention (2.4 days shorter), with a notable reduction for NSSI patients (3.4 days shorter). Overall mortality rates were similar, although mortality due to infection was significantly reduced in 2021/2022 (44.4% vs. 93.3%), and the p-value was 0.003. The orthogeriatric liaison care model significantly decreased NSSI only in individuals with severe cognitive impairment and infection-associated mortality. This highlights the integral role of orthogeriatricians in the care of elderly hip fracture patients.

Patient, surgical and hospital factors predicting actual first-day mobilisation after hip fracture surgery: An observational cohort study.

To examine patient, surgical and hospital factors associated with Day-1 postoperative mobility after hip fracture surgery in older adults. A cohort study using Australia and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry was conducted. Participants were aged older than 50 years and underwent hip fracture surgery between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020 inclusive. The outcome was standing and step transferring out of bed onto a chair and/or walking Day-1 after hip fracture surgery. Mean age was 82 years and 68% were women. Of 12,318 patients with hip fracture, 5981 (49%) actually mobilised Day-1. Odds of actual first-day mobilisation were lower for individuals usually walking with either stick or crutch (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.62-0.82) or two aids or frame (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.52-0.64) or wheelchair/bed bound (OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.17-0.33); who had impaired cognition preadmission (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.51-0.64); from aged care facilities (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.52-0.67); had an American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade 2 (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.97), 3 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47) or 4 or 5 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.14-0.32); surgery delay >48 h (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.71-0.91); and restricted/non-weight-bearing status immediately postoperatively (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.42-0.67). Both non-modifiable and modifiable patient and surgical factors influence first-day mobilisation after hip fracture surgery. Reducing time to surgery might assist future quality improvement efforts to increase Day-1 postoperative mobility.

Does post acute care reduce the mortality of octogenarian and nonagenarian patients undergoing hip fracture surgery?

With the increasing number of elderly individuals worldwide, a greater number of people aged 80years and older sustain fragility fracture due to osteopenia and osteoporosis. This retrospective study included 158 older adults, with a median age of 85 (range: 80-99) years, who sustained hip fragility fracture and who underwent surgery. The patients were divided into two groups, one including patients who joined the post-acute care (PAC) program after surgery and another comprising patients who did not. The mortality, complication, comorbidity, re-fracture, secondary fracture, and readmission rates and functional status (based on the Barthel index score, numerical rating scale score, and Harris Hip Scale score) between the two groups were compared. The patients who presented with fragility hip fracture and who joined the PAC rehabilitation program after the surgery had a lower rate of mortality, readmission rate, fracture (re-fracture and secondary fracture), and complications associated with fragility fracture, such as urinary tract infection, cerebrovascular accident, and pneumonia (acute coronary syndrome, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, or in-hospital cardiac arrest. PAC is associated with a lower rate of mortality and complications such as urinary tract infection, bed sore, and pneumonia in octogenarian and nonagenarian patients with hip fragility fracture.

Time trends in opioid use for patients undergoing hip fracture surgery in 1997-2018: A Danish population-based cohort study.

Although opioids are a mainstay for perioperative pain management in hip fracture patients, no studies have described changes in opioid use over the last two decades. The aim of this study was to describe time trends in opioid use in a population-based cohort of patients undergoing a first-time hip fracture surgery during 1997-2018. Opioid-naïve hip fracture patients >55 years old were identified in Danish medical databases (n = 115,962). By 2-year calendar periods, we calculated prevalence rates (PR) of opioid use in the four quarters after surgery (Q1-Q4). Corresponding prevalence rate ratios (PRR) with 1997-1998 as a reference were estimated with 95% confidence intervals. Further, we calculated the median morphine milligram equivalents (MME) for each quarter. For Q1, the PR of opioid use increased from 29% in 1997-1998 to 78% in 2017-2018 corresponding to a PRR of 2.7 (2.6-2.8). For Q4, the PR was 15% in 1997-1998, peaked in 2003-2004 and then decreased, but stayed high at 13% in 2017-2018. The median MME did not increase when comparing 2017-2018 with 1997-1998, irrespective of the quarter. Tramadol was most frequently used in 1997-1998 shifting to oxycodone in 2017-2018. The PRs of opioid use in Q1 after surgery increased substantially from 1997 to 2018, but this did not translate into increased opioid use up to 1 year after hip fracture surgery or higher dosage. Our findings underline the importance of sustained focus on opioid tapering, dosage and use of opioids with the lowest potential for addiction and other adverse events. Overall, opioid use in Q1 after hip fracture surgery increased 2.7 times from 1997 to 2018, but the doses and opioid use up to 1 year after surgery remained stable. Compared to elderly, younger patients were more likely to use opioid in Q1, while the tendency was opposite in Q2-Q4. The most used opioid type changed from tramadol to oxycodone. Our findings underline the importance of personalized opioid tapering and doses, and use of opioids with the lowest potential for addiction and other adverse events.

The role of depression in the association between mobilisation timing and live discharge after hip fracture surgery: Secondary analysis of the UK National Hip Fracture Database.

The aim was to compare the probability of discharge after hip fracture surgery conditional on being alive and in hospital between patients mobilised within and beyond 36-hours of surgery across groups defined by depression. Data were taken from the National Hip Fracture Database and included patients 60 years of age or older who underwent hip fracture surgery in England and Wales between 2014 and 2016. The conditional probability of postsurgical live discharge was estimated for patients mobilised early and for patients mobilised late across groups with and without depression. The association between mobilisation timing and the conditional probability of live discharge were also estimated separately through adjusted generalized linear models. Data were analysed for 116,274 patients. A diagnosis of depression was present in 8.31% patients. In those with depression, 7,412 (76.7%) patients mobilised early. In those without depression, 84,085 (78.9%) patients mobilised early. By day 30 after surgery, the adjusted odds ratio of discharge among those who mobilised early compared to late was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.56-2.05, p<0.001) and 1.92 (95% CI: 1.84-2.00, p<0.001) for those with and without depression, respectively. A similar proportion of patients with depression mobilised early after hip fracture surgery when compared to those without a diagnosis of depression. The association between mobilisation timing and time to live discharge was observed for patients with and without depression.

Outcomes of Patients with Preoperative Thrombocytosis After Hip Fracture Surgery.

Low platelet counts have clinically relevant effects on patient outcomes after hip fracture surgery; however, the relationship between abnormally high platelet counts and postoperative outcomes in this population is unknown. The ACS-NSQIP database was queried for patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between 2015 and 2019. Outcomes were compared between patients with normal platelet counts (150,000 to 450,000/μL) and thrombocytosis (>450,000/μL). Eighty-six thousand three hundred eleven hip fracture patients were identified, of which 1067 (1.2%) had preoperative thrombocytosis. Compared with patients with normal platelet counts, patients with preoperative thrombocytosis had increased rates of 30-day mortality (6.4% vs 4.5%, P = 0.004; OR 1.15 [95% CI 0.88 to 1.50], P = 0.322) as well as increased rates and odds of readmission (11.4% vs 7.8%, P < 0.001; OR 1.35 [95% CI 1.10 to 1.65], P = 0.004) and venous thromboembolic events (3.2% vs 1.7%, P < 0.001; OR 1.88 [95% CI 1.31 to 2.71], P < 0.001). Hip fracture patients with preoperative thrombocytosis had increased rates of early mortality as well as increased odds of venous thromboembolic events and readmission. A patient with thrombocytosis may benefit from close postoperative surveillance and careful follow-up. Future prospective studies are needed to verify causation and investigate how to mitigate adverse outcomes in hip fracture patients with preoperative thrombocytosis.

Characteristics of Postoperative Heart Failure in Older Hip Fractures Patients Combined with Coronary Heart Disease and Construction of a Prediction Model of Nomogram, a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Older patients combined with coronary heart disease (CHD) develop acute heart failure (AHF) after hip fracture surgery is common, and this study aimed to investigate the risk factors of postoperative AHF in older hip fracture patients and to construct a nomogram prediction model. We retrospectively collected older hip fracture patients with CHD who underwent hip fracture surgery at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2017 to December 2021. We divided them into a training set and a validation set. We collected the demographic data, laboratory indicators and imaging examination results. We identified risk factors for postoperative AHF and used R language software to establish a nomogram prediction model, plot ROC curves, calibration curves and DCA decision curves. We retrospectively collected 1288 older hip fractures patients with CHD. After excluding 214 patients who did not meet the criteria, 1074 patients were included in our research and we divided them into the training set and the validation set. In the training set, a total of 346 (42.8%) patients developing postoperative AHF. Through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, we identified the risk factors for postoperative AHF and constructed a nomogram prediction model. The AUC of the prediction model is 0.778. The correction curve shows that the model has good consistency. The decision curve analysis shows that the model has good clinical practicality. There were 42.8% older patients combined with CHD develop postoperative AHF. Among them, fracture type, age, anemia at admission, combined with COPD, ASA ≥ 3, and preoperative waiting time >3 days are risk factors for postoperative AHF. We constructed a nomogram prediction model that can effectively predict the risk of postoperative AHF in older hip fracture patients combined with CHD.

Evaluation of two doses (20 mL and 15 mL) of 0.25% bupivacaine in pericapsular nerve group block for patient positioning for sub-arachnoid block during hip fracture surgery: A single-centre, randomised comparative trial.

Peri-capsular nerve group (PENG) block is a novel ultrasound (US)-guided technique to achieve regional analgesia in hip fractures. We compared the effectiveness of two doses of 0.25% bupivacaine (20 mL and 15 mL) in the US-guided PENG block for positioning patients for sub-arachnoid block (SAB) during hip fracture surgery. The randomised trial included 60 patients aged 40-90 years undergoing hip fracture surgery under SAB. PENG block was given by a US-guided approach with the patient in a supine position 20 minutes before SAB, and a total of 20 mL and 15 mL of bupivacaine (0.25%) were given in groups A and B, respectively. The primary outcome was to measure and compare the ease of positioning (EOP) of patients for the conduct of SAB. The secondary outcome was the pain assessment at rest and 15° leg raise position at baseline and 10 and 20 minutes post block using the verbal analogue scale (VAS). Continuous variables were compared using the t-test, and categorical variables were analysed using Pearson's Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The mean (standard deviation) grade of EOP for SAB was significantly better in group A (2.47 (0.73) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.19-2.69)) than in group B (1.86 (0.62) (95% CI: 1.65-2.1)) (P = 0.001). The decrease in VAS scores was significantly higher in group A compared to group B at resting and 15° leg raise position at all-time points (P < 0.05). A dose of 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine shows better outcomes than 15 mL regarding the patient's positioning during the SAB.

Analgesic Effect of Combined Spinal-Epidural Anesthesia and its Effect on TNF-α and CRP Levels in Elderly Patients with Hip Fracture During Surgical Treatment

Objective: To observe the analgesic effect of combined spinal and epidural anesthesia on older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Method: One hundred and twenty elderly hip fracture surgery patients treated in our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, with 60 cases in the experimental group and 60 in the control group. The experimental group was given combined spinal-epidural anesthesia intervention measures, while the control group was given epidural anesthesia intervention measures. The analgesic effect, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and other observation indicators were analyzed after anesthesia intervention. Result: After the intervention, the analgesic effect and the evaluation results of the subjects in the experimental group were better than those in the control group (P &lt; 0.05); the obtained values of TNF-α and CRP levels in the experimental group were higher than those of the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: The combined spinal- epidural anesthesia intervention demonstrated positive outcomes. The analgesic effect of patients during surgery and their inflammatory factor levels improved, which makes this intervention worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Influence of urinary tract infections on the incidence of surgical site infections following hip fracture surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prevalence of surgical site infections (SSIs) following hip fracture surgery poses a substantial challenge, compounding patient morbidity and healthcare costs. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigate the potential correlation between perioperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the subsequent risk of SSIs, aiming to illuminate the impact of UTIs on postoperative outcomes in this vulnerable population. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, utilising the PICO framework to define our search strategy across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Our inclusion criteria encompassed randomised controlled trials, cohort studies and case-control studies that reported on SSIs following hip fracture surgery in patients with UTIs. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. A random-effects model was applied due to significant heterogeneity, and a sensitivity analysis assessed the stability of the results. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, demonstrating high methodological quality. The analysis included studies from 2016 to 2021, with sample sizes ranging from 402 to 31 621 participants. A significant association was found between UTIs and SSIs, with an odds ratio of 2.79 (95% CI: 1.72-4.54, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results, and no publication bias was detected. Perioperative UTIs significantly increase the risk of SSIs in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Proactive treatment of UTIs may be crucial for reducing the incidence of SSIs and improving surgical outcomes in this demographic.

Association Between Long‑Term Exposure to Air Pollution and the Rate of Mortality After Hip Fracture Surgery in Patients Older Than 60 Years: Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan.

To enhance postoperative patient survival, particularly in older adults, understanding the predictors of mortality following hip fracture becomes paramount. Air pollution, a prominent global environmental issue, has been linked to heightened morbidity and mortality across a spectrum of diseases. Nevertheless, the precise impact of air pollution on hip fracture outcomes remains elusive. This retrospective study aims to comprehensively investigate the profound influence of a decade-long exposure to 12 diverse air pollutants on the risk of post-hip fracture mortality among older Taiwanese patients (older than 60 years). We hypothesized that enduring long-term exposure to air pollution would significantly elevate the 1-year mortality rate following hip fracture surgery. From Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we obtained the data of patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between July 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013. Using patients' insurance registration data, we estimated their cumulative exposure levels to sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), particulate matter having a size of <10 μm (PM10), particulate matter having a size of <2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOX), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), total hydrocarbons (THC), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and methane (CH4). We quantified the dose-response relationship between these air pollutants and the risk of mortality by calculating hazard ratios associated with a 1 SD increase in exposure levels over a decade. Long-term exposure to SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 demonstrated significant associations with heightened all-cause mortality risk within 1 year post hip fracture surgery among older adults. For older adults, each 1 SD increment in the average exposure levels of SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 corresponded to a substantial escalation in mortality risk, with increments of 14%, 49%, 18%, 12%, 41%, 33%, 38%, 20%, 9%, and 26%, respectively. We further noted a 35% reduction in the hazard ratio for O3 exposure suggesting a potential protective effect, along with a trend of potentially protective effects of CO2. This comprehensive nationwide retrospective study, grounded in a population-based approach, demonstrated that long-term exposure to specific air pollutants significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality within 1 year after hip fracture surgery in older Taiwanese adults. A reduction in the levels of SO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, NOX, NO, NO2, THC, NMHC, and CH4 may reduce the risk of mortality after hip fracture surgery. This study provides robust evidence and highlights the substantial impact of air pollution on the outcomes of hip fractures.

Comparative Evaluation of Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Pericapsular Nerve Group Block and Femoral Nerve Block During Positioning of Patients With Hip Fractures for Spinal Anesthesia: A Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Study.

Hip fractures cause severe pain during positioning for spinal anesthesia (SA). Intravenous systemic analgesics can lead to various complications in elderly patients, hence peripheral nerve blocks are emerging as a standard of care in pain management for hip fractures, among which femoral nerve block (FNB) is widely known and practiced. Pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block is a recently described technique that blocks the articular nerves of the hip with motor-sparing effectsand is used to manage positional pain in hip fractures. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of PENG block over FNBin managing pain during positioning before SA in hip fractures. This was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. After ethical clearance, 70 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery under SA in a tertiary-care hospitalwere recruited and randomized to receive either ultrasound-guided PENG block or FNB with 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine before performing SA. We compared pain severity using the visual analog scale (VAS) 15 and 30 minutes after the block and during positioning. The sitting angle, requirement of rescue analgesia for positioning, and anesthesiologist and patient satisfaction scores were also analyzed. Continuous data were analyzed with an unpaired t-test while the chi-square test was used for categorical data. There was a significant reduction in VAS scores after PENG block (PENG: 0.66 ± 1.05 and FNB: 1.94 ± 1.90; p= 0.001) with lesser requirement of rescue analgesia for positioning compared to FNB. The anesthesiologist and patient satisfaction scores were also significantly better in the PENG group. PENG block offers better analgesia for positioning before SA than FNB without any significant side effects, and improves patient and anesthesiologist satisfaction, thus proving to be an effective analgesic alternative for painful hip fractures.

Evaluation of Inflammation Markers in Elderly Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery

Objectives: High inflammatory markers are thought to be important in evaluating poor postoperative outcomes in older orthopedic patients. We aim to investigate the effect of inflammatory markers in patients over 80 who have undergone a hip fracture surgery regarding 30-day mortality and preoperative evaluation.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Patients over 80 who had undergone hip fracture surgery were included. Age, gender, type of anesthesia, comorbidities, anticoagulant, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospitalization period, 30-day mortality rates, were recorded and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) values were calculated.&#x0D; Results: The mean age was 85.48±4.07 years old. Postoperative ICU admission was found to be 41.1%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 3.3%. The PLR value was 191±105, the NLR value was 6.4±4.5, and the SII value was 1410±1210. A significant correlation was found between ICU hospitalization and mortality, preoperative and postoperative hospital stay.&#x0D; Conclusion: While there was a positive correlation between intensive care hospitalization and mortality, although no statistically significant correlation was found between the PLR, NLR and SII values and mortality rates, high values close to those stated in the literature were found.

Risk Factors for 30-Days Mortality After Proximal Femoral Fracture Surgery, a Cohort Study.

The primary objective of this study was to identify new risk factors and to confirm previously reported risk factors associated with 30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery. A prospective hip fracture database was used to obtain data. In total, 3523 patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between 2011 and 2021 were included. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to screen and identify candidate risk factors. Twenty-seven baseline factors and 16 peri-operative factors were included in the univariable analysis and 28 of those factors were included in multivariable analysis. 8.6% of the patients who underwent hip fracture surgery died within 30 days after surgery. Prognostic factors associated with 30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery were as follows: age 90-100 years (OR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.07-19.98, p = 0.041) and above 100 years (OR = 11.3, 95% CI: 1.28-100.26, p = 0.029), male gender (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.97-3.33, p < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 3 and ASA 4 (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.44-3.14, p < 0.001), medical history of dementia (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.25-2.36, p = 0.001), decreased albumin level (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92-0.97, p < 0.001), decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99, p < 0.001), residential status of nursing home (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.44-2.87, p < 0.001), higher Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (KATZ-ADL) score (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.01-1.16, p=0.018) and postoperative pneumonia (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.72-3.38, p < 0.001). A high mortality rate in patients after acute hip fracture surgery is known. Factors that are associated with an increased mortality are age above 90 years, male gender, ASA 3 and ASA 4, medical history of dementia, decreased albumin, decreased GFR, residential status of nursing home, higher KATZ-ADL score and postoperative pneumonia.

Post-operative complications in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery: An observational study

Background: Hip fractures in elderly patients are a significant health-care concern due to their high morbidity and mortality rates. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to analyze post-operative complications in this demographic to improve care strategies. Materials and Methods: This observational study included 100 patients aged between 65 and 90 years, undergoing hip fracture surgery. The cohort comprised 40% males and 60% females. Patients underwent either total hip replacement (30%) or internal fixation (70%). We tracked post-operative complications within the first 30 days, mortality and reoperation rates, and recovery and rehabilitation outcomes over 6 months. Results: Post-operative complications were reported in several categories: Infection (10%), cardiovascular (15%), respiratory (12%), renal (5%), neurological (8%), and gastrointestinal (6%). The most common infections were superficial wound infections (6%) and deep infections (4%). Cardiovascular complications included arrhythmias (8%), myocardial infarction (4%), and venous thromboembolism (3%). Pneumonia (7%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (3%), and pulmonary embolism (2%) were the primary respiratory complications. The study also recorded a 4% 30-day mortality rate and a 7% reoperation rate. The average hospital stay was 7 days, with 60% of patients requiring post-discharge rehabilitation. At 6-month post-surgery, 70% of patients had achieved complete recovery. Conclusion: The study highlights a significant incidence of post-operative complications among elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive perioperative care and vigilant monitoring to mitigate these risks. The data also stress the importance of post-discharge rehabilitation in enhancing recovery outcomes.