Treatment of hip fracture in Finland and Sweden. Prospective comparison of 788 cases in three hospitals

Standardised Audit of Hip Fracture in Europe (SAHFE)

The Standardization Audit of Hip Fracture in Europe (SAHFE) project aims to encourage centres in Europe to participate in hip fracture audit. It defines a data set consisting of a core of 34 questions which includes outcome measures at 120 days from injury. In addition there is a larger number of optional questions. It is envisaged that each participating centre will collect and analyse its own data, with national centres to provide comparative data. Because the data is standardised, international comparisons can be made, thereby assisting in defining the optimal method of treatment and rehabilitation for this common condition.

Hip Fractures in Finland — A Comparison of Patient Characteristics and Outcomes in Six Hospitals

Background and Aims:

To compare six Finnish hospitals for the quality of treatment of hip fractures and to obtain information for the development of care.

Material and Methods:

Data of 1179 consecutive hip fracture patients (about 200 patients per hospital) was collected prospectively, using similar standardized forms and focusing on background factors and the four-month functional outcome.

Results:

There were significant differences between the hospitals in patient characteristics (age, place of residence, walking ability, use of walking aids, morbidity and type of fracture) and in the unadjusted outcome variables at four months' follow-up (place of residence, mobility, use of walking aids and pain in injured hip). After adjustment for baseline characteristics, there was a significant difference in the post-fracture walking ability between the centres but no significant differences in post-fracture place of residence. Unadjusted mortality did not vary between the centres, but adjustment resulted in significant differences. The most marked difference in surgical methods between the hospitals was seen in the use of either sliding hip screw or Gamma Nail for trochanteric fractures, but this difference was not reflected in the results of multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

We found minor differences in mobility and mortality between the participating hospitals, and these might serve them as a stimulus for improving their standard of good practice. Continuous quality improvement by repeating the audit cycle is recommended in order to reach and then improve the prevalent standards in the care of hip fracture patients. Confounding factors should be adjusted when comparing the medical centres treating hip fractures, and the evaluation of the results should be multidimensional.

Hip Fracture Treatment in Oulu — One-Year Survey with Four-Month Follow-Up

Backgrounds and Aims:

The standardized forms of the Standardized Audit of Hip Fractures in Europe (SAHFE) are aimed for the evaluation of hip fracture treatment in different hospitals and countries. The purpose was to evaluate and characterize a cohort of hip fracture patients with these forms and to evaluate their value in quality control.

Material and Methods:

The non-pathological hip fractures in patients over 49 years of age treated in the Oulu University Hospital were prospectively recorded during a one-year period using SAHFE forms.

Results:

There were 238 (52 male and 186 female) patients with a mean age of 78 (50–102) years. Fifty-nine percent of the patients were admitted from their own homes. Fifty-seven percent were able to walk alone outdoors and 48% could walk without walking aids before the fracture. A hundred and fifty patients had cervical fractures and 88 trochanteric fractures. The most frequent treatment of cervical fractures was Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasty (68%) and that of trochanteric fractures Gamma nail fixation (86%). At four months after the fracture, 50% lived in their own homes, 33% could walk alone out-doors and 13% could walk without any aids. Thirty-two percent had no pain in the hip. The overall mortality at four months was 17.6% and that of the operated patients 16.2%. The reoperation rate was 8.5%.

Conclusion:

SAHFE forms were very useful in the evaluation of the quality of the hip fracture treatment.

Four or Twelve Months' Follow-Up in the Evaluation of Functional Outcome after Hip Fracture Surgery?

Background and Aims:

As a rule, follow-up for at least one year is recommended for fracture studies. This is considered the shortest reliable interval. Still, in the case of hip fractures of the elderly, shorter follow-up might be more practical, since the life expectancy of these patients is often short. The aim of this study was to see if a short four months follow-up period would be acceptable in hip fracture surveys.

Material and Methods:

Information on 196 consecutive non-pathological hip fracture patients aged 50 years or over (mean 79 years) was collected using a standardised hip fracture audit concentrating on functional measurements at admission and at four and twelve months' follow-ups.

Results:

167 patients were alive at four months and 152 and at one year. The patients who died between four and twelve months had poorer functional capacity in the four-month evaluation than those who survived one year. The analysis of repeated measures, including only the patients alive at the last follow-up, showed that residential status, use of walking aids and 6 out of 10 and ADL variables (bathing, toileting, shopping, household activities, doing laundry, banking) did not change significantly. Walking ability and the rest 4 ADL variables (dressing, eating, food preparation, use of transportation) improved and pain decreased.

Conclusions:

Due to high mortality and age-related deterioration of functioning, no steady state i.e. “final result” is ever reached after hip fracture in the elderly. Four-month follow-up is justified as the shortest possible period, because the socioeconomically most important variable, i.e. place of living, and most of the ADL functions do not change significantly after that.

Internal screw fixation compared with bipolar hemiarthroplasty for treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients

BACKGROUND

Internal fixation and arthroplasty are the two main options for the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in the elderly. The optimal treatment remains controversial. Using data from the Norwegian Hip Fracture Register, we compared the results of hemiarthroplasty and internal screw fixation in displaced femoral neck fractures.

METHODS

Data from 4335 patients over seventy years of age who had internal fixation (1823 patients) or hemiarthroplasty (2512 patients) to treat a displaced femoral neck fracture were compared at a minimum follow-up interval of twelve months. One-year mortality, the number of reoperations, and patient self-assessment of pain, satisfaction, and quality of life at four and twelve months were analyzed. Subanalyses of patients with cognitive impairment and reduced walking ability were done.

RESULTS

In the arthroplasty group, only contemporary bipolar prostheses were used and uncemented prostheses with modern stems and hydroxyapatite coating accounted for 20.8% (522) of the implants. There were no differences in one-year mortality (27% in the osteosynthesis group and 25% in the arthroplasty group; p = 0.76). There were 412 reoperations (22.6%) performed in the osteosynthesis group and seventy-two (2.9%) in the hemiarthroplasty group during the follow-up period. After twelve months, the osteosynthesis group reported more pain (mean score, 29.9 compared with 19.2), higher dissatisfaction with the operation result (mean score, 38.9 compared with 25.7), and a lower quality of life (mean score, 0.51 compared with 0.60) than the arthroplasty group. All differences were significant (p < 0.001). For patients with cognitive impairment, hemiarthroplasty provided a better functional outcome (less pain, higher satisfaction with the result of the operation, and higher quality of life as measured on the EuroQol visual analog scale) at twelve months (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Displaced femoral neck fractures in the elderly should be treated with hemiarthroplasty.

Functional comparison of the dynamic hip screw and the Gamma locking nail in trochanteric hip fractures: a matched-pair study of 268 patients

The aim of this prospective matched-pair (age, sex, fracture type, residential status, and walking ability at fracture) study was to analyse the short-term outcome after Gamma nail (GN) and dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation, focusing especially on functional aspects (Standardised Audit of Hip Fractures in Europe [SAHFE] hip fracture follow-up forms), reoperations, and mortality. Both groups consisted of 134 patients. DHS and GN groups did not differ significantly with respect to location of residence at 4 months or returning to the prefracture dwelling (78% vs. 73%, P = 0.224). The change in walking ability at 4 months compared to prefracture situation was better in the DHS group (p = 0.042), although there was no difference in the change of use of walking aids. The frequency of reoperations during the first year was somewhat lower in the DHS group (8.2% vs. 12.7%, p = 0.318). Mortality was lower in the DHS group both at 4 months (6.0% vs. 13.4%, p = 0.061) and 12 months (14.9% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.044). Although walking ability was better and mortality lower in the DHS group, both methods are useful in the treatment of trochanteric femoral fractures.

The Norwegian Hip Fracture Register: experiences after the first 2 years and 15,576 reported operations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Norwegian Hip Fracture Register was established in January 2005 to collect nationwide information as a basis for improved management of patients with hip fractures. We now report our experience after the first 2 years.

METHODS

After both primary operations and reoperations, the surgeons fill in a standardized 1-page form with information about the patient, the fracture, and the operation. Fractures treated with a total hip arthroplasty are reported to the national arthroplasty register, but are added to the hip fracture register before analyses are performed. 4, 12, and 36 months postoperatively, a standardized questionnaire including health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), visual analog scales concerning pain and patient satisfaction, and Charnley class for functional assessment is sent directly from the register to the patients. To evaluate the completeness of registration, our data were compared with data from the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR).

RESULTS

During the first year of registration, all 55 hospitals treating hip fractures in Norway started to report their hip fracture operations. During 2005, the monthly reporting increased and it stabilized in 2006. 13,251 primary-operated hips (mean age of patients: 80 years; 72% females) and 2,325 reoperations were reported during 2005 and 2006. Compared to the NPR, the completeness of registration was 64% in 2005 and 79% in 2006. 58% of the patients who were alive answered the 4-month questionnaire. The non-responders were older, were more often cognitively impaired, and had a higher degree of comorbidity than the responders. Undisplaced femoral neck fractures (19% of all fractures) were almost exclusively operated with screw osteosynthesis (95%). Dislocated femoral neck fractures (38% of all fractures) were operated with a hemiarthroplasty in 52% of the cases. Osteosynthesis with a hip compression screw was the predominant operation method for trochanteric fractures (81%).

INTERPRETATION

After only 2 years, our nationwide system for surveillance of demographics, treatment, and outcome of hip fractures is functioning well. As expected, the response rate for the 4-month questionnaires was relatively low due to the old population with high comorbidity and cognitive impairment. The different treatment methods used for patients in the same groups of fracture types show that there is still no consensus in Norway regarding the treatment of hip fractures.

Treatment of subtrochanteric fractures. A comparison of the Gamma nail and the dynamic hip screw: short-term outcome in 58 patients

The aim of this non-randomised prospective study was to evaluate the short-term outcome of Gamma nail and dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation in the treatment of subtrochanteric hip fractures due to low-energy trauma in the elderly. All of the 1,624 femoral hip fractures in 1,511 patients of the Oulu Hospital, aged over 49 years, were prospectively registered from 1991-1999 using special forms. Seventy-three (4.5%) of the fractures were subtrochanteric. After exclusions, 58 patients constituted the final study group. Of these, 43 were treated with Gamma nails and 15 with DHS. Background factors before the fracture, complications, reoperations and functional parameters at 4 months were recorded using standardised forms. Intraoperative and hospital data were collected from patient records. The Seinsheimer fracture types IIIA, IIC and V were the most common fracture patterns when the Seinsheimer classification system was used, and Fielding II and AO 31A3.3, respectively, were the most common types in the Fielding and AO classification system. There were four (9%) intraoperative complications in the Gamma nail group as compared to none in the DHS group. On the other hand, postoperative complications were more common in the DHS group (27%) than in the Gamma nail group (7%). We recognised a correlation between certain fracture types and the likelihood of typical intra- or postoperative complications or difficulties with both devices: In Gamma nailing, difficulty in closed reduction as well as the rate of open reduction and the use of supplementary fixation were most frequent in the Seinsheimer IIC fractures. It is also noticeable that all of the postoperative device failures and fracture displacements of the DHS group occurred in the Seinsheimer type IIIA category. Detailed fracture classification is essential for the choice of the fixation device, and the present study confirms the presumption that, despite the perioperative problems associated with Gamma nailing, this technique may be preferable to plate fixation for specific fracture types with medial cortical comminution, such as Seinsheimer type IIIA.

Predicting Outcomes after Hip Fracture Repair

OBJECTIVE

To compare the activities of daily living before and after hip fracture and construct a statistical model for discharge destination and independent walking. The classification accuracy of the model was determined from an independent sample.

DESIGN

Prospective study: FIM prefracture, at discharge, and at 6-mo follow-up were obtained from 63 patients who underwent operations for acute hip fractures. A statistical model for discharge destination and independent walking was made and classification accuracy was checked using 78 independent samples.

RESULTS

The motor FIM scores at prefracture decreased significantly at discharge (P < 0.0001) and at 6-mo follow-up (P < 0.0001), but at 6-mo follow-up, they had increased significantly compared with those at discharge (P = 0.0103). A mobility subscale was used to predict discharge destination, and mobility and social cognition subscales were related to independent walking. The predictive accuracy was 87%.

CONCLUSIONS

Motor FIM scores increase for at least 6 mos after hip fracture, and discharge destination and independent walking were highly predictable from FIM mobility and social cognition subscales.

Early revision after hemiarthroplasty and osteosynthesis of cervical hip fracture: short-term function mortality unchanged in 102 patients

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus on whether osteosynthesis or hemiarthroplasty is preferable in the treatment of cervical hip fractures. Osteosynthesis is associated with more reoperations than hemiarthroplasty but there is little information available on the consequences of these reoperations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied the effect on mortality, hospital stay and functional outcome of revision performed within 4 months of primary surgery with hemiarthroplasty or osteosynthesis for cervical hip fracture. 50 (6%) of 792 patients treated with uncemented Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasty and 52 (13%) of 411 patients with osteosynthesis (86 with two hook pins and 325 with three cannulated screws) had had revision surgery. Control groups matched for age, sex, residential status, walking ability at fracture, type of primary operation and fracture type consisted of patients who had not had a reoperation.

RESULTS

Reoperation impaired walking ability and was associated with increased use of walking aids at 4 months in the hemiarthroplasty group and the osteosynthesis group as compared to controls, but did not have any statistically significant effect on residential status. In the hemiarthroplasty group, 4-month mortality was 12% among the reoperated patients and 18% among the controls, while mortality at 1 year was 24% in both groups. The corresponding figures in the osteosynthesis group and controls were 6% and 6% at 4 months, respectively, and 17% and 13% at 1 year.

INTERPRETATION

To some extent, reoperation impairs early functional outcome after cervical hip fracture treated by either osteosynthesis or hemiarthroplasty, but does not increase mortality to any significant degree.

Basal fractures of the femoral neck: intra- or extra-capsular

The method of treatment and outcome for 83 patients presenting with a basal fracture of the femoral neck were determined. This represented 2.3% of all hip fractures admitted to one institution. The mean age of patients was 80 years, 25% were male. Seventy-one fractures were treated with a sliding hip screw, one of which cut-out. No other failures of fixation occurred or re-operations were required. Two fractures were fixed with cancellous screws, one healed in varus and the other fixation failed requiring re-operation. Six were managed with an arthroplasty and four treated conservatively. At 1-year from injury 29% of patients had died. For the survivors 87% were able to return home and only 6% had significant residual pain.

Functional comparison between uncemented Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasty and osteosynthesis with three screws in displaced femoral neck fractures--a matched-pair study of 168 patients

There is no consensus as to whether osteosynthesis (OS) or hemiarthroplasty (HA) should be used as the primary treatment of displaced femoral-neck fracture. In a prospective matched-pair study, we compared 84 patients treated with OS with three screws and 84 patients treated with uncemented Austin-Moore HA focusing on functional parameters, reoperations and mortality. At 4 months after the fracture, functional recovery was not significantly different between the study groups. However, OS patients tended to have slightly better functional ability than HA patients, as more of them were able to walk out of doors (45.2% versus 39.2%), more were able to walk without walking aids (23.7% versus 16.7%), and more returned to live in their own homes (80%versus 72.9%). OS patients used slightly but not significantly less painkillers and had less hip pain than HA patients. OS patients had had 15.4% more reoperations by 4 months and 14.2% more by 1 year compared to the HA group. The 4-month and 1-year mortality rates of the study groups were of the same order. Functional recovery was slightly better after OS with three screws than after uncemented HA, although no significant differences were seen in a sample of this size. On the other hand, OS was associated with a higher reoperation rate.

Early discharge of hip fracture patients from hospital: transfer of costs from hospital to nursing home

Hip fracture patients occupy more and more hospital beds. One of the strategies for coping with this problem is early discharge from the hospital to institutions with rehabilitation facilities. We studied whether early discharge affects outcome and costs. 208 elderly patients with a hip fracture were followed up to 4 months after the fracture. First, a group of 102 patients stayed in our hospital for the usual period (median 18 days). Then, 106 patients were assigned to a group for early discharge (median 11 days). We measured disabilities, health-related quality of life and cognition at 1 week, 1, and 4 months after hospitalization. To calculate total societal costs, inpatient days, the efforts of professionals in- and outside institutions, and interventions/examinations were recorded during this 4-month period. At 4 months, we found no differences in mortality, ADL level, complications, quality of life, and type of residence. More patients in the early discharge group were discharged to nursing homes with rehabilitation facilities (76% versus 53%), but the median total stay in hospital and nursing home was the same (26 days). Early discharge from hospital did not substantially reduce the total costs (conventional management Euro 15,338 per patient and early discharge Euro 14,281 per patient), but merely shifted them from the hospital to the nursing home.

The relationship between admission hemoglobin level and outcome after hip fracture

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of admission hemoglobin level on patient outcome after hip fracture.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, consecutive.

PATIENTS

From July 1991 to June 1997, 395 community-dwelling patients sixty-five years of age or older who had sustained an operatively treated femoral neck or intertrochanteric fracture were prospectively followed up.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Postoperative complications, in-hospital mortality rate, hospital length of stay, hospital discharge status, place of residence at one year, and mortality and recovery of ambulatory ability and activities of daily living status at three, six, and twelve months.

RESULTS

Women with admission hemoglobin levels below 12.0 grams per deciliter and men with admission hemoglobin levels below 13.0 grams per deciliter were classified as anemic. One hundred eighty patients (45.6 percent) were considered anemic on admission. Patients who were anemic were more likely to have an American Society of Anesthesiologists rating of III or IV and have sustained an intertrochanteric fracture. Hospital length of stay and mortality rate at six and twelve months were significantly higher for patients who were anemic on admission. There were no differences in the incidence of postoperative complications, hospital discharge status, place of residence at one year, in-hospital mortality rate, and three-month mortality rate between patients who were and were not anemic on admission. In addition, there were no differences in the recovery of ambulatory ability and of basic and instrumental activities of daily living status at three, six, and twelve months between the two patient groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients at risk for poor outcomes after hip fracture can be identified by assessing hemoglobin levels at hospital admission.

Management of pertrochanteric fractures in the elderly patients with an external fixation

One hundred patients above 80 years of age (mean age 88.20 years) with 101 fractures in the area of the trochanters were managed with an external fixation (Orthofix pertrochanteric fixator, OPF) from October 1995 to March 2000. Osteosynthesis was performed under radiology control and especially after a satisfactory closed reduction had been obtained. Accompanying diseases, duration of surgery, the transfused blood units, duration of hospitalization, complications, walking ability, time to union and mortality rate were recorded pre-operatively and post-operatively for a year. The results were: fast operation time (19.6 min at average), minimal blood loss (no blood transfusion was needed for 85 patients whereas for the remaining 15 patients 29 blood units were administrated due to a pre-existing anemia and not to compensate blood loss during surgery) and short duration of post-operative hospitalization (5.27 days at average). The main complications that were recorded were sore wounds in 15%, inflammation in the entrance of the screws in 9%, and aseptic loosening of the femoral screws/loss of reduction in varus >10 degree in 8%. These complications did not prevent the union of the fracture to a satisfactory level (13.91 weeks at average). There were no revisions. Within the first post-operative semester, the majority of the patients (57.69%) returned to the walking condition they had before the fracture. Post-operative mortality during the first month was 15% whereas during the first post-operative semester the rate increased by 7%. Due to the design of the device, the method is simple, fast, does not derange the patients and requires short time of hospitalization. These advantages are especially useful for the treatment of elderly patients with aggravated general condition.

Does blood transfusion increase the risk of infection after hip fracture?

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether allogeneic red blood cell transfusion is a predictor for developing an in-hospital postoperative urinary tract, respiratory, or wound infection.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, consecutive.

METHODS

Six hundred eighty-seven community-dwelling, ambulatory, geriatric hip fracture patients were prospectively followed; all patients had operative fracture treatment and received perioperative antibiotics.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients had a culture-positive infection before operative treatment. One hundred thirty-four of the remaining 619 patients (21.6%) developed a postoperative infection, primarily a urinary tract infection. The infection rate was 26.8% in transfused patients compared with 14.9% in nontransfused patients (p = 0.001). When stratifying by the type of infection, only the risk of urinary tract infection was statistically significant (p = 0.001). After controlling for the effect of patient age, sex, number of preinjury medical comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) rating of operative risk, fracture type, surgical delay, type of surgery, type of anesthesia, operative time, and blood loss, the relationship between allogeneic red blood cell transfusion and postoperative urinal tract infection remained statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Geriatric hip fracture patients who receive allogeneic red blood cell transfusions are at higher risk for developing a postoperative urinary tract infection than are those patients who are not transfused.

Postoperative complications and mortality associated with operative delay in older patients who have a fracture of the hip

We prospectively studied 367 patients who had a fracture of the hip, to determine the effect of an operative delay on postoperative complications and on the one-year mortality rate. All of the patients were at least sixty-five years old, cognitively intact, living at home, and able to walk before the fracture. An operative delay was defined as an interval of three calendar days or more between the time of admission to the hospital and the operation. The operation was performed within two calendar days after admission in 267 (73 per cent) of the patients. When the factors of the patient's age and sex and the number of pre-existing medical conditions were controlled, it was found that an operative delay beyond this period approximately doubled the risk of the patient dying before the end of the first postoperative year. When the patient's age and sex and the severity of pre-existing medical conditions were controlled, there was also an increase in mortality associated with an operative delay, although this was not significant. With the numbers studied, an operative delay beyond two calendar days did not have a significant effect on the prevalence of complications during hospitalization. We concluded that an operative delay of more than two calendar days after admission is an important predictor of mortality within one year for elderly patients who have a fracture of the hip and who are cognitively intact, able to walk, and living at home before the fracture. Optimally, such patients should have the operation within two calendar days after admission to the hospital.

Age-related hip fractures in men: clinical spectrum and short-term outcomes

Clinical spectrum, treatment and short-term outcomes were assessed among the 131 Rochester, Minnesota, men who contracted an initial hip fracture due to moderate trauma during 1978-89. Three-fourths of falls leading to hip fracture occurred indoors with little seasonality, and 91% of fractures were in men 65 years of age or older. The ratio of cervical to intertrochanteric femur fractures was 1.4:1, and there was a tendency toward more neurological conditions among the patients with cervical fractures. Hemiarthroplasty and total hip replacement were mostly performed for cervical fractures, while internal fixation was preferred for intertrochanteric fractures. In-hospital mortality was 11.5%, and the 30-day case fatality rate was 16.0%. Age and postoperative deterioration of mental status significantly increased the risk of early death, the latter even after adjustment in a multivariate model, while comorbidity had a suggestive but not statistically significant influence on mortality. More than half the men were discharged to nursing homes, and 79% of the patients who survived at 1 year resided in nursing homes or intermediate care facilities or were attended by home care. Only 41% of survivors recovered their prefracture level of functioning and nearly 60% of patients limped and required a cane or walker. After implementation of the prospective payment system in 1984, the length of hospital stay was reduced, but there was no change in early mortality rates, in the duration of physical therapy following fracture or in attendance at nursing homes. The results of this population-based study demonstrate the strong impact of hip fractures on short-term outcomes in men.

Fractures in older persons

Fractures in the elderly, especially hip fractures, have increased during recent decades in the west. Due to their large number, and often extended demands on hospital resources, older persons with hip fractures make heavy demands on health care resources. The fractures are the result of both increasing skeletal fragility and increasing falling tendency with age. Preventive measures consist primarily of opposing the sedentary life style of modern society. A continued moderate physical activity since youth, combined with sufficient access to calcium and vitamin D, builds up and retains enough bone stock to resist the decay of 1-2% per year that starts from the fifth decade of life onwards. Falling accidents are probably easier to prevent by training of muscular activity and balance compared to the osteoporosis, which needs a long preventive perspective. The rehabilitation prognosis for the individual patient has greatly improved over recent years.

Prospective comparison of hip fracture treatment. 856 cases followed for 4 months in The Netherlands and Sweden

In a prospective multicenter study 1115 hip fracture patients were registered in Rotterdam (The Netherlands), Sundsvall and Lund (Sweden). The patients had similar background parameters with a mean age of 78 years, about half of them living alone and just above 80 percent coming from independent living. For cervical fracture, hemiarthroplasty was the predominating treatment in Rotterdam (n 169), whereas osteosynthesis was used in Sundsvall (screws n 135) and Lund (hook-pins n 148). The mean (median) hospitalization time was 32 (20) days in Rotterdam, 16 (12) days in Sundsvall, and 17 (10) days in Lund. Discharge to independent living varied from 53 percent in Lund to 72 percent in Sundsvall. Functional outcome (walking ability and ADL capacity) was at 4 months similar in all groups, but at 2 weeks was lower in Rotterdam. Mortality at 2 weeks/1 month/4 months was in Rotterdam 4/9/20, in Sundsvall 2/4/13, and in Lund 0/3/10 percent. Trochanteric fractures were treated by screwplate in Rotterdam (n 146) and Lund (n 78), and by Ender nails in Sundsvall (n 117). The mean (median) hospitalization time was in Rotterdam 39 (29) days, in Sundsvall 24 (15) days and in Lund 19 (11) days. Discharge to independent living varied from 41 percent in Lund to 57 percent in Sundsvall. Functional outcome was similar between the groups. Mortality at 2 weeks/1 month/4 months was in Rotterdam 2/6/14, in Sundsvall 6/12/19 and in Lund 12/12/18 percent. Thus, our study has shown that it is possible to perform a prospective multicenter study involving different European countries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)