Outcomes following hip fracture surgery: a 2-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the health outcomes in older people following hip fracture surgery.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A naturalistic prospective study of people who had undergone hip fracture surgery undertaken in three specialist inpatient orthopaedic units in Manchester, England, with follow-up for 2 years in primary care. One hundred forty-two people, age 60 and older who had undergone hip fracture surgery of whom 74 were interviewed at follow-up.

MEASUREMENTS

Assessment of mood (using the Geriatric Depression Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), pain (Wong-Baker and McGill scales), tests of function (Up and Go Test, Gait Test and Functional Reach), and Sickness Impact Profile.

RESULTS

Twenty-six percent of the original group had died by the time of the 2-year follow-up and associated with increasing age, poorer mobility, and higher levels of support. Sixteen percent of the group were found to be depressed, the only robust predictor of this being depression at entry to the study. There was a consistency in the presence or absence of depressive symptoms over the duration of the study. Forty-nine percent were able to walk independently at 2 years.

CONCLUSION

The presence of depressive symptoms is associated with poor outcomes at 2 years. Few people recover from, or develop, depression over 2 years.