Comorbidity and Quality of In-Hospital Care for Hip Fracture Patients

Interaction Between Multimorbidity and Hip Fracture Surgery Leads to Excess Risk of Infection: A Danish Registry-Based Cohort Study of 92,599 Patients With Hip Fracture

Purpose

Infection in general is a frequent and serious complication after hip fracture (HF) surgery. Multimorbidity in HF patients is associated with elevated infection risk. It remains unclear whether multimorbidity interacts with HF surgery to increase infection risk beyond their individual effects.

Methods

Using Danish registries, we identified 92,599 patients ≥65 years surgically treated for HF 2004 to 2018 and an age- and sex-matched comparison cohort from the background population without HF (n=462,993). Multimorbidity was defined using the Charlson Comorbidity Index in categories no, moderate, or severe. We computed incidence rates (IR) of any kind of hospital-treated infection within 1 month and 1 year with 95% confidence intervals and estimated the attributable proportion (in %) based on differences in IRs.

Results

The IR of infection within 1 month was 181 (176-186) per 100 person years in HF patients with no multimorbidity and 9 (95% CI 8-9) in the comparison cohort with no multimorbidity. The IRs were 240 (234-246) and 302 (291-313) in HF patients with moderate and severe multimorbidity compared with 17 (16-18) and 31 (30-33) in the comparison cohort with same multimorbidity level. The attributable proportion indicates that 21% and 33% of the IR among HF patients with moderate and severe multimorbidity, respectively, was explained by interaction. Similar interactions were observed within 1 year.

Conclusion

Multimorbidity and HF surgery interact synergistically, which substantially increases the infection risk. The interaction effect increased with multimorbidity level. Our findings highlight the potential benefits of implementing more targeted and personalized preventive initiatives for multimorbid patients.

Major comorbid diseases as predictors of infection in the first month after hip fracture surgery: a population-based cohort study in 92,239 patients

PURPOSE

Comorbidity level is a predictor of infection in the first 30 days after hip fracture surgery. However, the roles of individual comorbid diseases as predictors of infection remain unclear. We investigated individual major comorbid diseases as predictors of infection after hip fracture surgery.

METHODS

We obtained Danish population-based medical registry data for patients undergoing hip fracture surgery (2004-2018). Information was obtained on 27 comorbidities, included in various comorbidity indices, 5 years before surgery. The primary outcome was any hospital-treated infection within 30 days after surgery. Cumulative incidence of infection was calculated by considering death as competing risk. We used logistic regression to compute mutually adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval for infection.

RESULTS

Of 92,239 patients with hip fracture, 71% were women, and the median age was 83 years. The most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension (23%), heart arrhythmia (15%), and cerebrovascular disease (14%). The 30-day incidence of infection was 15% and 12% among the total cohort and among patients with no record of comorbidities, respectively. Infection incidence was highest among patients with renal disease (24%), depression/anxiety (23%), and chronic pulmonary disease (23%), and lowest among patients with metastatic solid tumor (15%). Adjusted odds ratios of infection ranged from 0.94 [0.80-1.10] for metastatic solid tumor to 1.77 [1.63-1.92] for renal disease.

CONCLUSION

Most comorbid diseases were predictors of infection after surgery for hip fracture. Awareness of patients' comorbidity profiles might help clinicians initiate preventive measures or inform patients of their expected risk.

30-day and one-year readmission rate in 11,270 patients with surgical treatment for proximal femoral fractures across Austria

Aims

Patients with proximal femoral fractures (PFFs) are often multimorbid, thus unplanned readmissions following surgery are common. We therefore aimed to analyze 30-day and one-year readmission rates, reasons for, and factors associated with, readmission risk in a cohort of patients with surgically treated PFFs across Austria.

Methods

Data from 11,270 patients with PFFs, treated surgically (osteosyntheses, n = 6,435; endoprostheses, n = 4,835) at Austrian hospitals within a one-year period (January to December 2021) was retrieved from the Leistungsorientierte Krankenanstaltenfinanzierung (Achievement-Oriented Hospital Financing). The 30-day and one-year readmission rates were reported. Readmission risk for any complication, as well as general medicine-, internal medicine-, and surgery/injury-associated complications, and factors associated with readmissions, were investigated.

Results

The 30-day and one-year readmission rates due to any complication were 15% and 47%, respectively. The 30-day readmission rate (p = 0.001) was higher in endoprosthesis than osteosynthesis patients; this was not the case for the one-year readmission rate (p = 0.138). Internal medicine- (n = 2,273 (20%)) and surgery/injury-associated complications (n = 1,612 (14%)) were the most common reason for one-year readmission. Regardless of the surgical procedure, male sex was significantly associated with higher readmission risk due to any, as well as internal medicine-associated, complication. Advanced age was significantly associated with higher readmission risk after osteosynthesis. In both cohorts, treatment at mid-sized hospitals was significantly associated with lower readmission risk due to any complication, while prolonged length of stay was associated with higher one-year readmission risks due to any complication, as well as internal-medicine associated complications.

Conclusion

Future health policy decisions in Austria should focus on optimization of perioperative and post-discharge management of this vulnerable patient population.

Outcomes in very elderly ICU patients surgically treated for proximal femur fractures

Proximal femur fractures (PFF) are a common injury in elderly patients that significantly impact mobility and daily living activities. Mortality rates in this population are also high, making effective treatment essential. Recent advances in intensive and geriatric care have enabled complex surgical interventions that were previously not feasible. However, there is a lack of studies focusing on outcome parameters in very elderly patients (≥ 90 years) who receive intensive care treatment following PFFs. In this retrospective study, we analyzed multi-layered data of 148 patients who were 90 years or older and received intensive care after trauma and orthopedic surgical treatment for PFFs or periprosthetic fractures between 2009 and 2019. All patients received a 365-day follow-up. To identify potential predictors of mortality, all deceased and surviving patients were subjected to multiple logistic regression analyses. We found that 22% of patients deceased during in-hospital care, and one-year survival was 44%. Independent predictors of one-year all-cause mortality included higher CCI and SOFA scores at ICU admission. Overall, 53% of patients who resided in private dwellings prior to admission were able to return home. Our study highlights the utility of using CCI and SOFA scores at ICU admission as prognostic indicators in critically ill very elderly patients who undergo surgical treatment for PFFs. These scores can provide valuable insight into the severity of illness and potential outcomes, which can inform resource allocation, prioritize endangered patients, and aid in end-of-life discussions and planning with patients and their families. Our findings can help improve the management of PFFs in very elderly patients and contribute to optimized patient care.

A multidisciplinary approach to post-operative fragility hip fracture care in Thailand - a narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Appropriate care and rehabilitation following surgery for fragility hip fractures in older adults is associated with better outcomes and a greater likelihood of achieving pre-injury functioning. Clinical guidelines specifically for the post-operative care and rehabilitation of patients with hip fractures are scarce; as such, country-specific protocols benchmarked against established guidelines are essential given the wide variation in cultures and beliefs, clinical practice and diverse healthcare systems in Asia. We aimed to provide clinically relevant recommendations for post-operative fragility hip fracture care and rehabilitation to improve patient outcomes and prevent subsequent fractures in Thailand.

METHODS

A targeted literature review was conducted to identify key evidence on various elements of post-hip fracture care and rehabilitation. Further discussions at a meeting and over email correspondence led to the development of the recommendations which amalgamate available evidence with the clinical experience of the multidisciplinary expert panel.

RESULTS

Our recommendations are categorized by one period domain - acute post-operative period, and five major domains during the post-operative period - rehabilitation, optimization of bone health, prevention of falls, nutritional supplementation, and prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism. A multidisciplinary approach should be central to the rehabilitation process with the involvement of orthopedists, geriatricians/internists, physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, endocrinologists, pharmacists and nursing staff. Other key components of our recommendations which we believe contribute to better functional outcomes in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery include comprehensive pre-operative assessments, early surgery, goal setting for recovery and rehabilitation, early mobilization, medication optimization, tailored exercise plans, adequate coverage with analgesia, assessment and appropriate management of osteoporosis with due consideration of the fracture risk, fall prevention plans, and nutritional assessment and support. Patients and their caregivers should be a part of the recovery process at every step, and they should be counseled and educated appropriately, particularly on the importance of adherence to their rehabilitation plan.

CONCLUSION

We have provided guidance on the critical domains of clinical care in the post-operative setting to optimize patient outcomes and prevent fracture recurrence. Our recommendations for post-operative care and rehabilitation of older adults with hip fracture can serve as a framework for hospitals across Thailand.

Comorbidity and risk of infection among patients with hip fracture: a Danish population-based cohort study

Impact of comorbidity on infection risk among hip fracture patients is unclear. We found high incidence of infection. Comorbidity was an important risk factor for infection up to 1 year after surgery. Results indicates a need for additional investment in pre- and postoperative programs that assist patients with high comorbidity.

PURPOSE

Comorbidity level and incidence of infection have increased among older patients with hip fracture. The impact of comorbidity on infection risk is unclear. We conducted a cohort study examining the absolute and relative risks of infection in relation to comorbidity level among hip fracture patients.

METHODS

Utilizing Danish population-based medical registries, we identified 92,600 patients aged ≥ 65 years undergoing hip fracture surgery between 2004 and 2018. Comorbidity was categorized by Charlson comorbidity index scores (CCI): none (CCI = 0), moderate (CCI = 1-2), or severe (CCI ≥ 3). Primary outcome was any hospital-treated infection. Secondary outcomes were hospital-treated pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, reoperation due to surgical-site infection (SSI), and a composite of any hospital- or community-treated infection. We calculated cumulative incidence and hazard ratios (aHRs) adjusted for age, sex, and surgery year, including 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Prevalence of moderate and severe comorbidity was 40% and 19%, respectively. Incidence of any hospital-treated infection increased with comorbidity level within 0-30 days (none 13% vs. severe 20%) and 0-365 days (none 22% vs. 37% severe). Patients with moderate and severe comorbidity, compared to no comorbidity, had aHRs of 1.3 (CI: 1.3-1.4) and 1.6 (CI: 1.5-1.7) within 0-30 days, and 1.4 (CI: 1.4-1.5) and 1.9 (CI: 1.9-2.0) within 0-365, respectively. Highest incidence was observed for any hospital- or community-treated infection (severe 72%) within 0-365 days. Highest aHR was observed for sepsis within 0-365 days (severe vs. none: 2.7 (CI: 2.4-2.9)).

CONCLUSION

Comorbidity is an important risk factor for infection up to 1 year after hip fracture surgery.

Current Trends in Comorbidity Prevalence and Associated Mortality in a Population-Based Cohort of Hip Fracture Patients in Denmark

Background and Purpose

Patients with hip fractures often have comorbidities, but detailed data on comorbidity and its impact on prognosis are lacking. We described the current trends in the prevalence of comorbidity and the magnitude of the associated mortality.

Patients and Methods

From the Danish Multidisciplinary Hip Fracture Registry we included 31,443 hip fracture patients (diagnosed in 2014-2018). We calculated the prevalence of individual diseases and comorbidity measured with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), the Elixhauser Index, and the Rx-Risk Index. We calculated sex and age-adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for 30-day mortality and hazard ratios (aHRS) for one-year mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

The most common diseases identified with the CCI were cerebrovascular diseases (18%), malignancies (17%), chronic pulmonary disease (14%), and dementia (11%). Using the Elixhauser Index, hypertension (37%), cardiac arrhythmias (21%), and fluid and electrolyte disorders (15%) were most prevalent, while ischemic heart disease (42%), hypertension (39%), and use of antiplatelets (37%) were most prevalent when using the Rx-Risk Index. Using the Rx-Risk Index, only 28% of patients had no comorbidity compared to 38% for CCI and 44% for the Elixhauser Index, and the prevalence was stable through the years. Compared to patients with no comorbidity, patients with very severe comorbidity had an aORs for 30-day mortality of 2.6 (CI: 2.4-2.9) using CCI, 2.6 (CI: 2.4-3.1) using the Elixhauser Index, and 3.1 (CI: 2.7-3.4) using the Rx-Risk Index.

Interpretation

More than 50% of the patients with hip fractures have moderate to very severe comorbidity, with considerable variation between indices. The prevalence of individual diseases varies considerably. All indices had comparable dose-response associations with mortality. These results are relevant for clinicians to amend prevention and target care, and for researchers to decide which comorbidity measure to use depending on the research question.

Are hip fracture patients with high or low body mass index at higher risk of missed care? A cohort study

AIM

To examine whether patients' body mass index is associated with missed hip fracture care consistent with national guideline-recommended care.

DESIGN

A nationwide, population-based cohort study using prospectively collected data from the Danish Multidisciplinary Hip Fracture Registry.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 39,835 patients ≥65 years admitted with a hip fracture and discharged between 1st of January 2012 and 29th of November 2017. National guideline-recommended care consists of preoperative optimization, early surgery, mobilization within 24 h, basic mobility assessment, nutrition screening, post-discharge rehabilitation program, and osteoporotic and fall prophylaxis. We used binomial regression to estimate the relative risk for the fulfilment of the individual measures with 95% confidence interval. Multiple imputation method was applied to handle missing values of body mass index.

RESULTS

The overall fulfilment of the individual measures ranged from 43% for pre-operative optimization to 95% for receiving a post-discharge rehabilitation program. The obese patients had a lower fulfilment of surgery within 36 h compared to patients with normal weight. No differences in fulfilment of the other measures were found. However, patients with missing data on body mass index had the highest risk of missed care. In conclusion, patients with missing BMI values had the highest risk of missed care. The obese patients had a slightly higher risk of long waiting times for surgery than normal-weighted patients.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study was done based on population-based data from medical registries and data was analysed by the authors only.

Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index predicts postoperative mortality in elderly patients with hip fracture: A prospective cohort

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical association between the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (aCCI) and postoperative mortality in elderly patients.

Materials and methods

Elderly patients with hip fractures were screened from January 2015 to September 2019. After demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, linear and non-linear multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify the association between the aCCI and mortality. All analyses were performed using EmpowerStats and R software.

Results

A total of 2,657 patients were included in the study, and the mean follow-up duration was of 38.97 months. The mean aCCI score was 4.24 ± 1.09, and 977 (34.14%) died of all-cause mortality. The fully-adjusted linear multivariate Cox regression models showed the aCCI to be associated with mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.21-1.41, P < 0.0001]. Patients in Q2 showed greater mortality (HR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.23-2.09; P = 0.0005) than those in Q1; patients in Q3 showed greater mortality (HR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.66-2.87; P < 0.001) than those in Q1. In addition, the P-value for the trend also showed a linear association in the three models (P < 0.0001). In the sensitivity analysis, propensity score matching was used, and the results were stable.

Conclusion

The mortality risk of hip fractures increased by 31% when the aCCI increased by one unit. aCCI score was shown to be a good predictor of three-year mortality following hip fracture.

Clinical trial registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=152919, identifier ChiCTR2200057323.

Postoperative delirium in geriatric patients with hip fractures

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent complication in geriatric patients with hip fractures, which is linked to poorer functional recovery, longer hospital stays, and higher short-and long-term mortality. Patients with increased age, preoperative cognitive impairment, comorbidities, perioperative polypharmacy, and delayed surgery are more prone to develop POD after hip fracture surgery. In this narrative review, we outlined the latest findings on postoperative delirium in geriatric patients with hip fractures, focusing on its pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Perioperative risk prediction, avoidance of certain medications, and orthogeriatric comprehensive care are all examples of effective interventions. Choices of anesthesia technique may not be associated with a significant difference in the incidence of postoperative delirium in geriatric patients with hip fractures. There are few pharmaceutical measures available for POD treatment. Dexmedetomidine and multimodal analgesia may be effective for managing postoperative delirium, and adverse complications should be considered when using antipsychotics. In conclusion, perioperative risk intervention based on orthogeriatric comprehensive care is the most effective strategy for preventing postoperative delirium in geriatric patients with hip fractures.