Concurrent upper limb and hip fracture in the elderly.

AIMS

To present a large series of concurrent upper limb and hip fracture in the elderly treated at a United Kingdom major trauma centre.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prospective data collection was performed for all elderly patients admitted to a single centre with hip fracture between January 2006 and November 2015. Comparative analysis of concurrent upper limb and hip fracture and an isolated hip fracture was performed.

RESULTS

Study cohort included 307 patients that had sustained concurrent upper limb and hip fracture and 6887 with an isolated hip fracture. A concurrent upper limb fracture was associated with increased length of stay (21.7 vs. 18.8 days, p = 0.003) and decreased proportion of patients returning to their own home at discharge (39.2% vs. 49.4%, p = 0.001). No differences in age, Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT), Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) and mortality were identified. However, concurrent wrist fracture 365-day mortality was lower than that of isolated hip fracture (20.9% vs 29.2%, p = 0.018). Concurrent humerus fracture was associated with increased inpatient death (13.7% vs 6.4%, p = 0.046) and 365-day mortality (34.7% vs 20.9%, p = 0.014) compared to concurrent wrist fracture. Surgical stabilisation of the concurrent upper limb fracture was performed in 90 wrist (52.3%) and 13 humerus (13.7%) cases. Operative management of the concurrent fracture did not yield significant differences in acute hospital length of stay or rehabilitation requirement. Cox regression analysis of 365-day survival data demonstrated that age, NHFS, AMT, gender and presence of a concurrent upper limb fracture independently influence 365-day mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

There are increased rehabilitation requirements for elderly patients with concurrent upper limb and hip fractures. There is a marked distinction in survivorship outcomes for patients sustaining concurrent wrist and concurrent humerus fractures.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Demonstrates increased rehabilitation requirements in concurrent upper limb and hip fracture in the elderly Highlights concurrent humerus fracture as a high risk group.