A short length of hospital stay is not associated with risk of readmission among hip fracture patients - a Swedish national register-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Hospital length of stay (LoS) after a hip fracture likely mirrors health status; however, a too short hospitalization might increase the risk of readmission. In this national register-based study, we investigated the association between LoS after a hip fracture and the risk of readmissions.

METHODS

73,551 patients with a first hip fracture between 2012 and 2019 were followed for 4 months after discharge. LoS was categorized by cubic splines and the association with readmissions was analyzed with Cox regression models.

RESULTS

The mean LoS was 11 ± 6 days and 25% of the study population had at least one readmission. Compared to the mean LoS of 9-12 days, there was a 18% decreased risk of readmission for LoS of 2-4 days (HR 0.82 [95% CI 0.77-0.87]) and 13% decrease for 5-8 days (HR 0.87 [95% CI 0.83-0.91]), when adjusting for sex, age, walking ability, ASA score, CCI, complications during hospitalization and living arrangements. For longer LoS, risk of readmission increased (13-23 days: HR 1.09 [95% CI 1.05-1.13] and 24 + days: HR 1.19 [95% CI 1.11-1.28]). The results were robust across sex, age, and living arrangements. The most common specific reasons for readmission were trauma/injury, cardiovascular and complications, and the proportions did not differ considerably between short and long LoS-categories.

CONCLUSIONS

While a long LoS can be explained by the care need of the patient, a short LoS - compared to the average stay - does not increase the risk of readmission regardless of health status and hospital complications in a Swedish setting.

Function, sarcopenia and osteoporosis 10 years after a femoral neck fracture in patients younger than 70 years

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A femoral neck fracture (FNF) may have long-term effects on the patient's function, also in patients younger than 70 years. These long-term effects are not well described, since most studies have short follow-ups. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical outcome by performance-based functional tests, hand grip strength, and hip function in different subgroups. The secondary aim was to study surgical complications, bone mineral density (BMD) and occurrence of sarcopenia 10 years after a FNF.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective multicenter study with a 10-year follow-up of patients aged 20-69 years with a FNF treated with internal fixation (IF). Five-times sit-to-stand test (5TSST), 4-m walking speed test, hand grip strength (HGS) and Harris Hip Score (HHS) were performed. A radiographic examination of the hip was performed and re-operations were registered. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip, spine and total body composition were assessed with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Present sarcopenia was determined by the combination of reduced functional performance and low fat-free mass index (FFMI).

RESULTS

A total of 58 patients were included. 5TSTS was normal in 45% of the patients and old age was associated with poorer performance (p<0.001). 76% of the study population had a normal speed gait and likewise, old age (p = 0.005) and walking aids (p = 0.001) were associated with poor performance. HGS was normal in 82% of the men and 64% of the women. HHS showed that 85% had a good/excellent function. A major re-operation was performed in 34% of the patients with displaced FNF and in 20% of patients with non-displaced FNF. 74% displayed osteopenia and 12% osteoporosis. 17% of the men and 38% of the women had sarcopenia.

INTERPRETATION

The majority of patients less than 70 years of age with a FNF treated with IF, had normal functional tests, muscle strength and a good hip function ten years post-operatively. However, one in ten had osteoporosis, and one third was sarcopenic which indicate the importance of encouraging regular muscle preserving resistance training after hip fracture.

Health related quality of life and mortality 10 years after a femoral neck fracture in patients younger than 70 years

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A femoral neck fracture (FNF) may have long term effects on the patient's health related quality of life (HRQoL) and mortality, especially in patients younger than 70 years. These long-term effects are unknown since most studies have a short follow-up. The aim of this study was to investigate self-assessed hip function, HRQoL and factors associated with 10-years mortality after a FNF.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective multicenter study with a 10-year follow-up of patients aged 20-69 years with a displaced and non-displaced FNF treated with closed reduction and internal fixation. The self-administered questionnaires EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and Hip Disability Outcome Score (HOOS) were used. Results of EQ-5D and HOOS was compared to sex and age matched general population data of Sweden. All patients that were deceased had their death date recorded. Factors associated with mortality were assessed by regression analysis of the baseline data including age, gender, harmful alcohol consumption according to AUDIT, co-morbidity measured by ASA-grade, body mass index, osteoporosis measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and smoking. Prevalence of co-morbidities and smoking was compared to general population data.

RESULTS

From initial 182 included patients, 55 were deceased at 10-year follow-up, 4 were deregistered from public record and 35 declined participations. A total of 88 patients participated through self-administrated questionnaires. There were no significant differences in HOOS between gender and fracture type and the results were equivalent to general population data. The EQ-5D continued to improve compared to a 24-month follow-up (p = 0.006) but did not recover to pre-fracture level (p<0.001) though it was equivalent to general population data. Higher age, co-morbidity, osteoporosis and smoking were associated with increased mortality within 10 years after the fracture and the prevalence of co-morbidity and smoking was higher than the general population.

INTERPRETATION

Those patients who had survived 10 years after a FNF treated with CRIF had a HRQoL and hip function equivalent to age and sex matched general population of Sweden. However, a third of these relatively young patients had deceased 10 years after the hip fracture and they were more compromised than the general population.

No association between waiting time to surgery and mortality for healthier patients with hip fracture: a nationwide Swedish cohort of 59,675 patients

Background and purpose - Waiting time to surgery for patients with hip fractures and its potential association with mortality has been frequently studied with the hypothesis that longer waiting time is associated with adverse outcomes. However, despite numerous studies, there is no consensus regarding which time frames are appropriate, and whether some patients are more vulnerable to waiting than others. We explored the association between waiting time to surgery and short-term mortality and whether sex, age, surgical method, and comorbidity (ASA) modified this association.Patients and methods - This is a nationwide cohort study of 59,675 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 with a 4-month follow-up of mortality. Data were extracted from the Swedish Registry for Hip Fracture Patients and Treatment (RIKSHÖFT) and mortality was obtained from Statistics Sweden.Results - Unadjusted analyses revealed an association between waiting more than 24 hours for surgery and increased mortality, primarily for women. However, when stratifying for ASA grade, an association persisted only among patients with ASA 3 and 4. Furthermore, the absolute differences in mortality risk between those waiting less or longer than 24 hours were small. Age, fracture type, and surgical method did not modify the association between waiting time and mortality.Interpretation - This study suggests that there may be a need for new guidelines, which take into account the heterogeneity of the patient population.

Identification of malingered head injury on the wechsler adult intelligence scale - 3rd edition

Head injured patients show an IQ subtest pattern that can be discriminated from the profile produced by individuals who attempt to malinger intellectual decline due to head trauma. The current paper demonstrates that previously replicated methods for making this discrimination on the WAIS - R generalize to the WAIS - 3. The discriminant function equation accurately classified 83% of nonlitigating head-trauma patients with documented injuries and 72% of persons simulating intellectual impairment due to head trauma. A total of 45% of litigating mild head-trauma patients with purported intellectual decline but no documented loss of consciousness, hospitalization, or CT abnormality were classified as malingering by the discriminant function. A Vocabulary-Digit Span difference score provided 71% overall diagnostic accuracy, and may be informative when screening profiles by visual inspection or when complete WAIS - 3 results are unavailable.