Blood transfusions and hip fracture mortality - A retrospective cohort study

Expedited Hip Fracture Surgery in Patients on Direct Oral Anticoagulants Does Not Increase Perioperative Blood Loss

OBJECTIVES

To compare blood loss and transfusion rates in geriatric patients with hip fracture on direct oral anticoagulants undergoing surgery ≤24 hours from admission (Expedited group) versus 24-72 hours from admission (Delayed group).

METHODS

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Level I trauma center.

PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA

Patients aged ≥65 years with a femoral neck, intertrochanteric, or subtrochanteric fracture (AO/OTA 31A, 31B, and 32) on factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban or rivaroxaban) before admission from April 2014 to April 2024 were included.

OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS

Primary outcomes were preoperative blood loss (difference between admission hemoglobin (Hgb) and lowest preoperative Hgb), overall blood loss (difference between admission Hgb and lowest postoperative Hgb within 4 days postoperation), and transfusion rates. Secondary outcomes were length of stay and 90-day complication (cerebrovascular accident, myocardial infarction, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal bleed, pneumonia, acute kidney failure, surgical site infection, readmission, reoperation, and mortality rates.

RESULTS

The Expedited group (n = 67) and Delayed group (n = 183) were similar in age (85.2 ± 6.8 years (67-97) versus 84.4 ± 7.5 years (65-101), P = 0.405) and sex (50.7% vs. 37.2% male, P = 0.084). The Delayed group had higher preoperative blood loss (1.2 ± 1.3 g/dL vs. 0.80 ± 1.0 g/dL, P = 0.003) with no differences in overall blood loss (2.9 ± 0.1.7 g/dL vs. 2.9 ± 1.7 g/dL, P = 0.881) and transfusion rates (28.4% vs. 25.4%, P = 0.634). The Expedited group had a shorter length of stay (6.0 ± 5.6 days vs. 7.1 ± 3.3 days, P < 0.001). The Delayed group had a higher 90-day complication rate (41.5% vs. 19.4%, P = 0.001). The Expedited group did not have higher rates of 90-day readmission (22.4% vs. 25.7%, P = 0.593), reoperation (4.5% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.730), or mortality (9.0% vs. 6.6%, P = 0.581).

CONCLUSIONS

For geriatric patients with hip fracture on factor Xa inhibitors, surgery ≤24 hours from admission reduced preoperative blood loss without increasing risk for overall bleeding, transfusion, or 90-day complication.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Risk factors for in-hospital mortality in cervical spinal cord injuries: a nationwide, cross-sectional analysis of concomitant injuries, comorbidities, and treatment strategies in 3.847 cases

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCIs) present challenges with potential severe neurological complications. Despite advances in care, in-hospital mortality remains a concern.

PURPOSE

This study explores the impact of patient-related factors and therapeutic strategies on in-hospital mortality in individuals with CSCIs.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Admissions with CSCIs recruited between January 2019 and December 2023.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Data from the German Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) system were used to analyze main diagnoses, patient demographics, concomitant diagnoses (ICD-10), and procedures (OPS). Specific data were extracted from the database of the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK GmbH).

METHODS

Differences in comorbidities and injuries were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated to analyze potential risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

In the analysis of 3.847 hospital admission cases, an in-hospital mortality rate of 11.7% (n=451) was observed. The patient cohort demonstrated a male predominance at 72.9%. The overall incidence of CSCI in Germany is 9.2 per million annually, with a significant increase in incidence rate observed with age, particularly after 60 years. The majority of admissions were aged over 65 years and this age group (>65 years) was identified as a significant risk factor for increased in-hospital mortality (n=2.064; OR 1.83; p<.001). Vertebral fractures at the levels C4 (n=364; 9.5%), C5 (n=582; 15.1%), and C6 (n=598; 15.5%) were the most common spinal injuries, while concomitant fractures at atlas (C1), axis (C2) and C7 fractures were associated with an elevated significant risk for in-hospital mortality (OR 2.40, OR=2.67, OR=2.21; p<.001). The need for blood transfusion was associated with a high in-hospital mortality rate of 31.3%. Amongst others, hypothermia, acute kidney failure, pleural effusion, and atrial fibrillation were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (all p<.001). Additionally, aspiration pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia were linked to increased in-hospital mortality risk (OR 2.21, OR 1.52; p<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant injuries and comorbidities indicating frailty and medical complications increase in-hospital mortality risk. The study highlights the need for thorough health assessments in patients with CSCIs, encouraging personalized and optimized treatment strategies.

An explainable and supervised machine learning model for prediction of red blood cell transfusion in patients during hip fracture surgery

AIM

The study aimed to develop a predictive model with machine learning (ML) algorithm, to predict and manage the need for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during hip fracture surgery.

METHODS

Data of 2785 cases that underwent hip fracture surgery from April 2016 to May 2022 were collected, covering demographics, medical history and comorbidities, type of surgery and preoperative laboratory results. The primary outcome was the intraoperative RBC transfusion. The predicting performance of six algorithms were respectively evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC). The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) package was applied to interpret the Random Forest (RF) model. Data from 122 patients at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were collected for external validation.

RESULTS

1417 patients (50.88%) were diagnosed with preoperative anemia (POA) and 209 patients (7.5%) received intraoperative RBC transfusion. Longer estimated duration of surgery, POA, older age, hypoproteinemia, and surgery of internal fixation were revealed as the top 5 important variables contributing to intraoperative RBC transfusion. Among the six ML models, the RF model performed the best, which achieved the highest AUC (0.887, CI 0.838 to 0.926) in the internal validation set. Further, it achieved a comparable AUC of 0.834(0.75, 0.911) in the external validation set.

CONCLUSION

Our study firstly demonstrated that the RF model with 10 common variables might predict intraoperative RBC transfusion in hip fracture patients.

Treatment strategy and clinical outcomes of surgically managed hip periprosthetic fractures: analysis from a high-volume centre

BACKGROUND

Hip periprosthetic fractures (PPF) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) are becoming increasingly prevalent. Their management is secondary to the fracture type and the stability of the implant. This study aimed to provide the outcomes of operatively managed PPF from a high-volume centre to help guide future decision making.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from January 2008 to January 2021. Patient demographics, implant specific details, and fixation strategy were collected. Complications including infection, reoperation, re-fracture, re-revision, were collected. Short-term mortality was evaluated at 3 months and 1 year. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

282 surgically managed PPF were identified. Vancouver B2 were predominant in 52% of the cases. Revision alone and revision with additional fixation were the most frequent strategies in 168 cases (60%). Complications requiring reoperation occurred in 20% of the cases, with infection as the most frequent (8.5%). Mortality rate was 7.8% at 3 months and 15.7% at 1 year, with significantly lower rates in B2 type. B2 fractures treated with cemented stems had a significantly lower 1-year mortality than distal fit revisions.

CONCLUSIONS

PPF is associated with a high complication rate. Revision alone and revision with additional fixation remain the preferred method in B2/B3 type fractures, however, cemented revision can yield similar outcomes with lower short-term mortality. Considering the high-risk elderly and frail category of patients, a multidisciplinary team is necessary to improve outcomes and reduce mortality.

The association between preoperative serum cholinesterase and all-cause mortality in geriatric patients with hip fractures: a cohort study of 2387 patients

OBJECTIVE

This study is to evaluate the association between preoperative cholinesterase levels and all-cause mortality in geriatric hip fractures.

METHODS

Elderly patients with hip fractures were screened between Jan 2015 and Sep 2019. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were collected. Linear and nonlinear multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify the association between preoperative cholinesterase levels and mortality in these patients. Analyses were performed using EmpowerStats and the R software.

RESULTS

Two thousand three hundred eighty-seven patients were included in this study. The mean follow-up period was 37.64 months. Seven hundred eighty-seven (33.0%) patients died due to all-cause mortality. Preoperative cholinesterase levels were 5910 ± 1700 U/L. Linear multivariate Cox regression models showed that preoperative cholinesterase level was associated with mortality (HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.78-0.88), P < 0.0001) for every 1000 U/L. However, the linear association was unstable, and nonlinearity was identified. A cholinesterase concentration of 5940 U/L was an inflection point. When preoperative cholinesterase level < 5940 U/L, the mortality decreased by 28% for every 1000 U/L increase in cholinesterase (HR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.66-0.79, P < 0.0001). When cholinesterase was > 5940 U/L, the mortality was no longer decreased with the rise of cholinesterase (HR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.91-1.11, P = 0.9157). We found the nonlinear association was very stable in the propensity score-matching sensitive analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative cholinesterase levels were nonlinearly associated with mortality in elderly hip fractures, and cholinesterase was a risk indicator of all-cause mortality.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered on the website of the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR: ChiCTR2200057323) (08/03/2022).

The Clinical Frailty Scale is a Strong Predictor of 1-Year Mortality in Surgically Managed Hip Periprosthetic Fracture: An Analysis From a High-Volume Institution

BACKGROUND

Hip periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) after primary total hip arthroplasty are increasing with the number of primary implants and aging population. Mortality has been reported up to 34% at 1-year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and 1-year mortality, complication rate, and length of stay (LOS) in surgically managed hip PPFs.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from January 2008 to January 2021. A total of 282 surgically managed hip PPFs were identified. Mean age was 79 years (range, 42 to 106). Preoperative scores were analyzed through linear regression to identify significant association with mortality, complication and LOS. Receiver operating characteristic curve and Area Under the Curve (AUC) were generated to evaluate the quality of the models and the discriminatory ability of each clinical score. Significance was considered at P values < .05.

RESULTS

Mortality was 7.8% at 3-months and 15.7% at 1-year. Complication rate requiring surgery was 19.5% and mean LOS was 8.9 ± 7 days. The CFS was significantly associated with 3-month (odds ratio 2.23, P < .001) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio 2.01, P < .001). The receiver operating characteristic curve test for 1-year mortality showed a greater AUC for the CFS when compared with American Society for Anesthesiologists score and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (AUC 0.80 versus 0.68 versus 0.72, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is a syndrome with increased risk of mortality after surgically managed PPF. The CFS can be easily assessed at the time of admission and could be considered as a strong and reliable predictor of 1-year mortality with a greater AUC than the conventionally used American Society for Anesthesiologists score.

Exploring Quality of Life and Mortality in Pertrochanteric Fragility Hip Fractures in Northern Greece: A Single Tertiary Center Study

Background: Fragility-related pertrochanteric fractures have become a significant public health concern, with a rising incidence attributed to the expanding elderly demographic. Assessing patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mortality, and factors correlated with them serves as a crucial metric in evaluating the effectiveness of hip fracture surgery. Methods: In a single-center retrospective study, 259 patients underwent surgical treatment with a cephalomedullary nail, with a mean follow-up of 21.7 months. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using SF-12 (12-item Short Form) and EQ-5D (EuroQoL-5 Dimensions) questionnaires. Mobility status was measured by the Crude Mobility Index (CMI). Surveys were administered during hospitalization and six months postoperatively. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, non-parametric controls (Kendall, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon), and Spearman correlation and logistic regression analysis, which were conducted using IBM SPSS version 28. Results: A statistically significant decrease was observed in the mean EQ-5D and SF-12 scores at 6 months post-op compared to the pre-fracture status. The ASA (American Society of Anaesthesiologists) score showed a significant correlation with the decrease in HRQoL measured by the SF-12 questionnaire. The 30-day post-operative mortality rate was 9.3%, increasing to 32.4% at 1 year. Notably, the 30-day mortality significantly rose during the pandemic era (5.0% vs. 12.0%; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Pertrochanteric hip fractures cause a lasting decline in quality of life. Annual mortality is high, and further investigations are needed to formulate policies that prevent hip fractures and reduce mortality rates.

Risk factors and prognosis of perioperative acute heart failure in elderly patients with hip fracture: case-control studies and cohort study

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients with hip fracture who develop perioperative acute heart failure (AHF) have a poor prognosis. The aim of the present study is to investigate the potential risks of AHF in elderly hip-fracture patients in the postoperative period and to evaluate the prognostic significance of AHF.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on hip fracture patients at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, who were continuously in hospital from September 2018 to August 2020. To identify independent risk factors for AHF in elderly patients with hip fracture, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was employed. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve illustrated the relationship between all-cause mortality in the AHF and non-AHF groups. An assessment of the correlation between baseline factors and all-cause mortality was conducted by means of univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTS

We eventually recruited 492 patients,318 of whom were in the AHF group. Statistical significance was found between the two groups for age group, concomitant coronary heart disease, COPD, haemoglobin level below 100 g/L on admission, albumin level below 40 g/L on admission, and increased intraoperative blood loss. Age over 75, concomitant coronary artery disease, hemoglobin level below 100 g/L and albumin level below 40 g/L on admission were independent risk factors for AHF in older hip fracture patients. The AHF group exhibited a higher incidence of perioperative complications, such as anemia, cardiovascular issues, and stress hyperglycemia, as well as all-cause mortality. Based on our COX regression analysis, we have identified that the main risk factors for all-cause mortality in AHF patients are concomitant coronary heart disease, absence of pulmonary infection, absence of diabetes, absence of cancer, and absence of urinary tract infection.

CONCLUSION

Enhancing hip fracture prevention for AHF is particularly important. It is crucial to make informed decisions to avoid poor prognoses. Patients whose age over 75 years old, concomitant coronary heart disease, hemoglobin < 100 g/L and album< 40 g/L on admission are more likely to develop perioperative AHF. To avert complications and potential fatalities, patients with AHF must receive appropriate care during the perioperative period.

Serum cystatin C as a biomarker to predict all-cause mortality in geriatrics hip fracture

Background

Cystatin C, a low-molecular-weight protein, belongs to cysteine protease inhibitors produced primarily by nucleated cells. Its serum concentration, independent of sex, age, or muscle mass, is a good predictor of renal dysfunction in older adults. This study evaluated the association between all-cause mortality and preoperative cystatin C levels in hip fractures.

Materials and methods

Data describing the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were gathered specifically from older individuals who had suffered hip fractures. The study used linear and non-linear multivariate Cox regression models to investigate the association between preoperative cystatin C levels and mortality. The analyses were conducted using the R and EmpowerStats software.

Results

In total, two thousand three hundred and ninety-four patients were included in this study. A total of 790 patients (33 %) died of all causes. The mean follow-up was 37.62 months. The preoperative cystatin C was 0.91 ± 0.41 mg/L. Linear multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between preoperative cystatin C level and death, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.19 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.72-2.79, P < 0.0001). Nevertheless, the correlation between the variables was inconsistent. A cystatin C concentration of 1.62 mg/L marked a significant change in the non-linear relationship. A preoperative cystatin C level below 1.62 mg/L was found to be significantly linked with an increased risk of mortality (HR = 2.60, 95 % CI: 1.92-3.52, P < 0.0001). The mortality reached its highest point when the preoperative cystatin C level was greater than 1.62 mg/L. After that, the mortality risk did not increase further (HR = 1.54, 95 % CI: 0.98-2.42, P = 0.0588). The non-linear relationship remained consistent in the propensity score-matching sensitive analysis.

Conclusions

The study found a non-linear relationship between preoperative cystatin C levels and mortality in geriatric hip fractures. This suggests that preoperative cystatin C can be used as a predictor of the risk of death. The registration number is ChiCTR2200057323.

The Predictive Value of Serum NT-proBNP on One-Year All-Cause Mortality in Geriatrics Hip Fracture: A Cohort Study

Objective This study evaluated the association between N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration and one-year mortality in geriatric patients with intertrochanteric and femoral neck fractures receiving the operative treatment. Methods Consecutive age ≥65 years patients with hip fractures were screened between January 2015 and September 2019. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were collected. The multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the association between preoperative NT-proBNP concentrations and mortality. All analyses were performed using EmpowerStats and the R software. Result One thousand two hundred nineteen patients were included in the study. The average age was 79.73±6.65 years (range 66-99 years). The mean NT-proBNP concentration was 616.09±1086.85 ng/L (median 313.40 ng/L, range 16.09-20123.00 ng/L). The follow-up was 35.39±15.09 months (median 35.78 months, range 0.10-80.14 months). One hundred and eleven (9.1%) patients died within one year. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression models showed a curved association between preoperative NT-proBNP concentration and one-year mortality. When the NT-proBNP concentration was below 1099 ng/L, the mortality increased by 10% (OR=1.10, 95%CI: 1.03-1.17, P=0.0025) when NT-proBNP increased by 100 ng/L. When the NT-proBNP concentration was above 1099 ng/L, the mortality did not increase anymore when NT-proBNP increased (OR=1.00, 95%CI: 0.99-1.02, P=0. 7786). Thus, NT-proBNP was a valuable indicator to predict high one-year mortality in practice. Conclusion The NT-proBNP concentrations were nonlinearly associated with mortality in elderly hip fractures with a saturation effect, and NT-proBNP was a risk indicator of all-cause mortality. A well-designed controlled trial to show the role of mortality by decreasing the concentration of NT-proBNP is needed in the future.

Risk factors for mortality after hip fracture surgery in Japan using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan

We investigated the risk factors for mortality of hip fracture in the elderly using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims in Japan, and survival was significantly related to sex, age, fracture type, surgical procedure, delayed operative date, comorbidities, blood transfusions, and pulmonary embolism.

PURPOSE

Hip fracture is the most common fracture in the elderly and is known to have a high mortality rate. In Japan, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have reported on mortality risk factors for hip fracture using nationwide registry databases. This study aimed to determine the number of occurrences of hip fracture and factors that increase mortality using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan.

METHODS

This study included extracted data from patients who were hospitalized and underwent surgical treatment for hip fracture between 2013 and 2021, using a nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan. Patient characteristics, such as sex, age, fracture type, surgical procedure, delayed operative date, comorbidities, blood transfusions, and pulmonary embolism, were tabulated to obtain 1-year and in-hospital mortality rates.

RESULTS

Both 1-year and in-patient survival were significantly lower in men, older patients, patients who underwent surgery after 3 days of admission, and patients with trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures, internal fixation, more preoperative comorbidities, blood transfusions, and pulmonary embolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival was significantly related to sex, age, fracture type, surgical procedure, delayed operative date, comorbidities, blood transfusions, and pulmonary embolism. As the number of male patients with hip fracture will increase with the aging of society, medical staff must provide sufficient information before surgery to avoid postoperative mortality.

Effect of Peri-Operative Blood Transfusion on Short and Long-Term Mortality Rates in Elderly Patients With Neck of Femur Fractures: A Retrospective Study

Introduction  The current reported mortality rate for elderly neck of femur fractures (eNOFF) is relatively high in the UK. eNOFF patients commonly suffer from associated cardiovascular co-morbidities and tend to have fragile physiological states and poor physiological reserves. Although some studies have shown a potential link between blood transfusion and mortality in eNOFF patients, there is no general consensus on this matter. Therefore, our study aims to explore the possible association between blood transfusion and length of hospital stay (LOHS) as well as short- and long-term mortality rates in eNOFF patients by reviewing the practice of blood transfusion. Methods  This retrospective study was conducted at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, which is part of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), Wales. The study included patients who were 65 years of age or older and presented with neck of femur fractures. Only patients who required surgical intervention were included, and those managed non-operatively were excluded from the study. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Furthermore, unpaired t-tests and log-rank (Mantel-Cox) tests were performed to compare the groups that received blood transfusions.  Results  During the study period, a total of 501 eNOFF patients were included in the primary cohort of the study, with a mean age of 81 years (ranging from 65 to 102). The majority of the patients were female (n=340). Of the 501 patients, 79 (15.8%) received a blood transfusion during their treatment. Around 52.9% of the eNOFF patients were categorized as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) III, but there was no statistically significant difference in the requirement of blood transfusion between patients in ASA III, II, and IV categories, as compared to ASA I. Additionally, the mean time to surgery was higher in patients who received a blood transfusion (35.8 hours), and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.035). Moreover, the average LOHS after surgery for eNOFF was longer in patients who needed peri-operative blood transfusion (22 days), and this difference in the means was statistically significant (p=0.022). At the one-year post-surgery mark, mortality was higher in the transfused group (33%), and long-term five-year mortality rates were also higher in this group (63.2%).  Conclusion  Peri-operative blood transfusion may confer certain benefits in the management of eNOFF ptients. However, it should not be regarded as a panacea for improving long-term outcomes. The decision to administer blood transfusion must be made on a case-by-case basis, with careful assessment of individual clinical indications, and the potential risks and benefits taken into consideration. To achieve optimal clinical outcomes, close monitoring and follow-up of eNOFF patients, both in the short-term and long-term, are essential.

Blood-Transfusion Risk Factors after Intramedullary Nailing for Extracapsular Femoral Neck Fracture in Elderly Patients

BACKGROUND

Extracapsular femoral neck fractures (eFNF) are the third most common type of fracture in traumatology. Intramedullary nailing (IMN) is one of the most frequently used ortho-pedic treatments for eFNF. Blood loss is one of the main complications of this treatment. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the perioperative risk factors that lead to blood transfusion in frail patients with eFNF who undergo IMN.

METHODS

From July 2020 to December 2020, 170 eFNF-affected patients who were treated with IMN were enrolled and divided into two groups according to blood transfusion: NBT (71 patients who did not need a blood transfusion), and BT (72 patients who needed blood transfusion). Gender, age, BMI, pre-operative hemoglobin levels, in-ternational normalized ratio (INR) level, number of blood units transfused, length of hospital stay, surgery duration, type of anesthesia, pre-operative ASA score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and mortality rate were assessed.

RESULTS

Cohorts differed only for pre-operatively Hb and surgery time (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients who have a lower preoperative Hb level and longer surgery time have a high blood-transfusion risk and should be closely followed peri-operatively.

The association between hemoglobin at admission and mortality of older patients with hip fracture: a mean 3-year follow-up cohort study

BACKGROUND

Hip fracture patients often have a large drop in hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration that is associated with the initial trauma. However, there is no study of a correlation between Hgb concentration at admission and short-term mortality. Thus, we evaluated a possible linear and nonlinear association between Hgb and mortalityfor older patients with hip fracture.

METHODS

Consecutive older patients who had hip fractures were screened between January 2015 and September 2019. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Linear and nonlinear multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify association between Hgb at admission and mortality. All analyses were performed with EmpowerStats and R software.

RESULTS

Two thousand five hundred eighty-nine patients were included in the study. There were 849 men and 1740 women. The mean age was 79.6 ± 6.8 years. The mean follow-up was 39.0 months. Nine hundred seven (35.0%) patients died for all-cause reasons. The mean Hgb at admission was 11.07 ± 1.95 g/dL. Linear multivariate Cox regression models showed Hgb at admission was associated with mortality ([Hazard Ratio] HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.95, P < 0.0001) after adjusting for confounding factors. However, the linear association was unstable, and nonlinearity was found between Hgb at admission and mortality. The Hgb concentration of 9.8 g/dL was an inflection point. A Hgb at admission < 9.8 g/dL was associated with mortality (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.74-0.89, P < 0.0001), whereas > 9.8 g/dL was not a risk factor for mortality (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.92-1.04, P = 0.4730).

CONCLUSIONS

The Hgb concentration at admission was nonlinearly associated with mortality of older patients with hip fracture, and Hgb at admission < 9.8 g/dL was a risk predictor of 3-year mortality.

RESEARCH REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2200057323.

Blood loss and transfusion risk in intramedullary nailing for subtrochanteric fractures

BACKGROUND

The incidence of hip fractures and subtrochanteric fractures in particular is increasing, along with the globally expanding aging population. Intramedullary nailing remains the 'gold standard' of their treatment. Blood loss can be a result of the original trauma, but also secondary to the subsequent surgical insult, especially during the reaming of the intramedullary canal.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of our study was to report on the blood loss and incidence of blood transfusion in patients presenting with a subtrochanteric fracture treated with intramedullary nailing. Most importantly, we aim to identify factors associated with the need for transfusion within the first 48 h post-operatively.

METHODS

Following institutional board approval, 431 consecutive patients (131 males; age: 79.03 years old, SD 13.68 years) presenting in a Level 1 Trauma Centre with a subtrochanteric fracture treated with an intramedullary nail were retrospectively identified, over an 8-year period. Exclusion criteria included patients with high energy injuries, pathological fractures, primary operations at other institutions and patients lost to follow-up. To identify risk factors leading to increased risk of transfusion, we first compared patients requiring intra-operative transfusion or transfusion during the first 48 h post-operatively against those who did not require transfusion. This was then followed by multivariate regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors to identify the most important risk factors associated with need for transfusion within the first 48 h post-operatively.

RESULTS

Incidence of blood transfusion was 6.0% pre-operatively, compared to 62.7% post-operatively. A total of 230 patients (52.3%) required either intra-operative transfusion or transfusion during the first 48 h following surgery. Patients having a transfusion within the first 48 h post-operatively had a higher incidence of escalation in their care (p = 0.050), LOS (p = 0.015), 30-day (p = 0.033) and one-year mortality (p = 0.004). Multivariate regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors identified that the most important association of a need for transfusion within the first 48 post-operative hours was a pre-operative Hb <100 g/L (OR 6.64); a nail/canal ratio <70% (OR 3.92), followed by need for open reduction (OR 2.66). Fracture involving the lesser trochanter was also implicated with an increased risk (OR 2.08). Additionally, pre-operative moderate/severe renal impairment (OR 4.56), as well as hypoalbuminaemia on admission (OR 2.10) were biochemical predictors of an increased risk of transfusion. Most importantly, the need for transfusion was associated with an increase in 30-day mortality (OR 12.07).

CONCLUSION

Several patient, fracture and surgery related factors are implicated with an increased risk for transfusion within the first 48-h post-operatively. Early identification, and where possible correction of these factors can potentially reduce blood loss and risk of transfusion, along with all the associated sequelae and mortality risk.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Using Fracture Patterns and Planned Operative Modality to Identify Fractured Neck of Femur Patients at High Risk of Blood Transfusion

Background Fractured neck of femurs is common, serious injuries usually requiring operative management. Red blood cell transfusions are often required to treat perioperative anaemia, but these are not without adverse effects. Aims and objectives The aim of this study is to identify subgroups of fractured neck of femur patients more likely to require red blood cell transfusions. We try to identify targeted strategies to reduce blood transfusion-associated adverse effects and thus improve outcomes. Design and methods A retrospective cohort study of 324 patients. Patients were divided into cohorts based on radiological fracture patterns and operations performed. Data were collected from patient records, picture archiving and communication systems, the local transfusion laboratory, and the national hip fracture database. The primary outcome was blood transfusion rates in different fracture patterns in fractured necks of femur patients. The secondary outcome was blood transfusion rates in different operation types for fractured neck of femur patients. Chi-squared tests for independence were performed. Results 14.9%, 34.7% and 33.3% of patients with intracapsular, intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures, respectively, received blood transfusions. There was a significant relationship between fracture pattern and blood transfusion (X 2 (2, N = 324) = 17.1687, p = 0.000187). 47% of patients receiving long intramedullary nails, 45% of short intramedullary nails, 27% of open reduction internal fixations, 18% of hemiarthroplasties and 9% of total hip arthroplasties resulted in blood transfusions. There was a significant relationship between operative modality and blood transfusion (X 2 (4, N = 302) = 22.0184, p = 0.000199). Conclusion In patients who have sustained a fractured neck of the femur, the fracture pattern and operative modality are both independently associated with the rates of red blood cell transfusion. In these identified groups, we propose that increased vigilance and awareness regarding transfusion avoiding strategies are utilised with the goal of improving patient outcomes.