One-year mortality risk in older individuals with femoral intertrochanteric fracture: a tertiary center in China

Abstract

Background The accelerated growth of older individuals worldwide has increased the number of patients presenting with fragility hip fractures. Having a hip fracture can cause excess mortality, and patients with hip fracture have a higher risk of death than those without hip fracture. Most studies have treated hip fracture as a single, homogeneous condition, but hip fracture includes two major anatomic types: intertrochanteric fracture and femoral neck fracture. Few studies have specifically evaluated 1-year mortality risk in older individuals with femoral intertrochanteric fracture. The aim of this study was to evaluate 1-year mortality and factors associated with mortality in older individuals with femoral intertrochanteric fracture. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of 563 patients ≥ 65 years old who underwent surgery for femoral intertrochanteric fractures at our institution between January 2010 and August 2018. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and treatment were collected by retrospective chart review. Age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) fracture classification, haemoglobin value at admission, time to surgery, operation time, and intraoperative blood loss were risk factors to be tested. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between variables and death. Results Among the 563 patients, 49 died within 1 year after surgery, and the 1-year mortality rate was 8.7%. Multivariate analysis identified age > 80 years (OR = 4.038, P = 0.011), haemoglobin < 100 g/l (OR = 2.732, P = 0.002), ASA score ≥ 3 (OR = 2.551, P = 0.005), CCI ≥ 3 (OR = 18.412, P = 0.018) and time to surgery > 14 d (OR = 3.907, P = 0.030) as independent risk factors for 1-year mortality. Comorbidities such as myocardial infarction and chronic pulmonary disease were associated with 1-year mortality after adjusting for age > 80 years and time to surgery > 14 days. Conclusions Patients over 80 years old with haemoglobin < 100 g/l, ASA score ≥ 3, CCI ≥ 3, and multiple comorbidities, especially myocardial infarction and chronic pulmonary disease before surgery, are at a higher risk of 1-year mortality. Doctors should pay more attention to these vulnerable patients, and a surgical delay greater than 14 days should be avoided.