Mortality escalates in patients of proximal femoral fractures with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 studies on 4255 patients

BackgroundConcerns have been raised about the escalated mortality in patients of proximal femoral fractures (PPFs) with COVID-19. A meta-analysis to evaluate the mortality in patients with PPFs managed during the current COVID-19 pandemic was conducted.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of all published studies were conducted with a search on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases using appropriate keywords from January 01, 2020 to January 29, 2021.Results35 relevant studies reporting 4255 patients with hip fracture in the current ongoing pandemic, out of which 692 patients were COVID-19 positive. Twenty studies reported mortality and other relevant statistics on hip fracture patients with and without COVID-19 (4123 hip fracture patients in the year 2020–21, out of which 560 had or were suspected of having COVID -19). A meta-analysis of mortality statistics in patients with and without COVID revealed increased odds of mortality among COVID patients [odds ratio (OR) 6.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) [5.09, 7.83] and meta-analysis on the subgroup of surgically treated patients also showed markedly increased mortality risk among those with COVID-19 (OR) 5.99, 95% CI [3.88,9.24].ConclusionThe mortality risk is markedly increased in hip fracture with concomitant COVID-19 as compared to those without it. This increased risk persisted in those managed surgically. It could be due to the inflammation induced by the fracture or surgery for fracture fixation, further exacerbating inflammation, leading to cytokine storm. It is imperative that such patients are informed regarding increased mortality risk during the consent and shared decision-making process.     

Perioperative mortality and morbidity of hip fractures among COVID-19 infected and non-infected patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeHip fractures among elderly patients are surgical emergencies. During COVID-19 pandemic time, many such patients could not be operated at early time because of the limitation of the medical resources, the risk of infection and redirection of medical attention to a severe infective health problem.MethodsA search of electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) with the keywords “COVID”, “COVID-19″, “SARS-COV-2”, “Corona”, “pandemic”, “hip fracture”, “trochanteric fracture” and “neck femur fracture” revealed 64 studies evaluating treatment of hip fracture in elderly patients during COVID-19 pandemic time. The 30-day mortality rate, inpatient mortality rate, critical care/special care need, readmission rate and complications rate in both groups were evaluated. Data were analyzed using Review Manager (RevMan) V.5.3.ResultsAfter screening, 7 studies were identified that described the mortality and morbidity in hip fractures in both COVID-19 infected (COVID-19 +) and non-infected (COVID-19 −) patients. There were significantly increased risks of 30-day mortality (32.23% COVID-19 + death vs. 8.85% COVID-19 − death) and inpatient mortality (29.33% vs. 2.62%) among COVID-19 + patients with odds ratio (OR) of 4.84 (95% CI: 3.13 – 7.47, p < 0.001) and 15.12 (95% CI: 6.12 – 37.37, p < 0.001), respectively. The COVID-19 + patients needed more critical care admission (OR = 5.08, 95% CI: 1.49 – 17.30, p < 0.009) and they remain admitted for a longer time in hospital (mean difference = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.74 – 5.45, p < 0.001); but there was no difference in readmission rate between these 2 groups. The risks of overall complications (OR = 17.22), development of pneumonia (OR = 22.25), and acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute respiratory failure (OR = 32.96) were significantly high among COVID-19 + patients compared to COVID-19 − patients.ConclusionsThere are increased risks of the 30-day mortality, inpatient mortality and critical care admission among hip fracture patients who are COVID-19 +. The chances of developing pneumonia and acute respiratory failure are more in COVID-19 + patients than in COVID-19 ‒ patients.     

One Hundred Twenty-Day Mortality Rates for Hip Fracture Patients with COVID-19 Infection

BackgroundIncreased 30-day mortality rates have been reported for patients with hip fractures and a concurrent diagnosis of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection. Due to nosocomial spread of infection and the variable incubation period with the virus, follow-up past 30 days after injury is required to evaluate the true mortality amongst these patients. We aim to assess 120-day mortality rates in hip fracture patients with COVID-19 infection and compare this to hip fracture patients without COVID-19 infection presenting during the same time period.MethodsThis is a retrospective multicenter review of all patients aged ≥ 60 years admitted with a fractured neck of femur between March 5 and April 5, 2020, at nine U.K. trauma units. COVID-19 status, demographic data, comorbidities, and date of death (if applicable) were collected.ResultsData were collected for 265 hip fracture patients. Forty-six patients (17.4%) tested positive for COVID-19 infection. There were no significant differences in age or Charlson comorbidity score between those with or without COVID-19. Those with COVID-19 infection were more likely to be male (p = 0.01). Patients with COVID-19 had a 30-day mortality of 35% versus 10% in patients without (p < 0.01). One hundred twenty-day mortality was also greater in those with COVID-19 infection at 63% compared to those without at 17% (p < 0.01). Previous history of myocardial infarction was the only independent factor that showed to increase mortality rate (p = 0.03). Subgroup analysis also revealed significantly increased mortality rates at 120 days in men (27% vs. 67%), women (14% vs. 59%), and those undergoing surgery (56% vs. 30%).ConclusionsWe report a significantly increased mortality rate at 30 and 120 days after injury in an already high-risk cohort of surgical patients. With nearly half of patients being diagnosed with COVID-19 at 14 days or greater following admission, this study highlights the importance of taking appropriate measures to decrease the incidence of nosocomial infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in hip fracture patients.     

Thirty-day mortality of patients with hip fracture during COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic periods: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUNDTimely intervention in hip fracture is essential to decrease the risks of perioperative morbidity and mortality. However, limitations of the resources, risk of disease transmission and redirection of medical attention to a more severe infective health problem during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period have affected the quality of care even in a surgical emergency.AIMTo compare the 30-d mortality rate and complications of hip fracture patients treated during COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic times.METHODSThe search of electronic databases on 1^st August 2020 revealed 45 studies related to mortality of hip fracture during the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic times. After careful screening, eight studies were eligible for quantitative and qualitative analysis of data.RESULTSThe pooled data of eight studies (n = 1586) revealed no significant difference in 30-d mortality rate between the hip fracture patients treated during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods [9.63% vs 6.33%; odds ratio (OR), 0.62; 95%CI, 0.33, 1.17; P = 0.14]. Even the 30-d mortality rate was not different between COVID-19 non-infected patients who were treated during the pandemic time, and all hip fracture patients treated during the pre-pandemic period (OR, 1.03; 95%CI, 0.61, 1.75; P = 0.91). A significant difference in mortality rate was observed between COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients (OR, 6.99; 95%CI, 3.45, 14.16; P < 0.00001). There was no difference in the duration of hospital stay (OR, -1.52, 95%CI, -3.85, 0.81; P = 0.20), overall complications (OR, 1.62; P = 0.15) and incidence of pulmonary complications (OR, 1.46; P = 0.38) in these two-time frames. Nevertheless, the preoperative morbidity was more severe, and there was less use of general anesthesia during the pandemic time.CONCLUSIONThere was no difference in 30-d mortality rate between hip fracture patients treated during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. However, the mortality risk was higher in COVID-19 positive patients compared to COVID-19 negative patients. There was no difference in time to surgery, complications and hospitalization time between these two time periods.     

Evidence-based approach to providing informed consent for hip fracture surgery during the COVID-19 era

BACKGROUNDHip fractures are the most common reason for inpatient orthopaedic trauma admission. Urgent surgical intervention for hip fractures has remained a clinical priority throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite this, there is a paucity of clinical guidance addressing the informed consent process for hip fracture surgery in COVID-19 positive patients. This is of paramount medicolegal importance in a high-risk patient population.AIMTo quantify the additional perioperative risks for COVID-19 positive patients undergoing hip fracture surgery and provide clinicians with an evidence-based framework to establish an informed consent process.METHODSTwo hundred and fifty nine consecutive patients undergoing surgical intervention for hip fractures in four hospitals in the United Kingdom were recruited. 51 patients were confirmed positive for COVID-19. Predefined outcomes were analyzed over a 30-d postoperative period. COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients were compared after adjustment for confounding factors.RESULTSCOVID-19 positive patients had more intensive care admissions (27% vs 5%, P < 0.001), longer inpatient stays (median 23 d vs 9 d, P < 0.001) and a higher 30-d mortality (29% vs 10%, P = 0.001) than COVID-19 negative patients. Postoperative complications were evident in 74.5% of COVID-19 positive patients. 35.3% of COVID-19 positive patients suffered postoperative lower respiratory tract infections with 13.7% developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and 9.8% experiencing symptomatic thromboembolic events.CONCLUSIONThe COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertainty in the medical community worldwide and poses unique challenges in providing informed consent for surgery. COVID-19 positive patients undergoing hip fracture surgery should be consented for the additional risk of postoperative complications (including lower respiratory tract infection, ARDS, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), increased requirement for intensive care admission, longer inpatient stay and higher risk of mortality. Further, clinicians must be transparent about the potential for unknown risks as research into the long-term surgical outcomes of COVID-19 positive patients continues to evolve.     

老年髋关节骨折手术治疗死亡率分析

目的 总结老年髋关节骨折手术治疗的术后死亡率,探讨术后患者死亡的原因. 方法 对1999年3月至2008年1月得到随访的349例老年(60～98岁)髋关节骨折手术治疗患者进行回顾性研究,总结总体死亡率和术后1年内死亡率,分析其构成特点及术后患者死亡的原因. 结果 手术治疗老年髋关节骨折术后死亡率为8.9%(31/349),术后1年内死亡率为5.4%(19/349).围手术期死亡3例,随访期内死亡28例.死亡原因依次为心血管事件(7例)、呼吸功能衰竭(7例)、慢性疾病引起的多器官功能衰竭(5例)、肿瘤(5例)、脑血管疾病(2例)、肝硬化(2例)、感染中毒性休克(1例)、脑外伤(1例),另1例原因不详.统计结果 显示年龄、性别是影响死亡率的主要因素,股骨近端防旋髓内钉内固定患者死亡率(1.8%)低于股骨近端髓内钉固定患者(17.8%),差异有统计学意义(X2=9.407,P=0.006);女性患者的股骨颈骨折发生率(59.4%)明显高于男性(41.6%),差异有统计学意义(X2=10.040,P=0.006). 结论 与相关文献比较,手术治疗老年髋关节骨折能够获得较低的死亡率.完善术前准备,选择微创的手术方法 有助于降低死亡率.     

Prolonged hospital stay after arthroplasty for geriatric femoral neck fractures is associated with increased early mortality risk after discharge

BackgroundRecent studies show increasing mortality rates of geriatric femoral neck fracture patients with delays in operative treatment greater than 48 hours from injury. A less extensively studied area in this population is the effect of length of inpatient hospital stay (LOS) on outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of LOS after arthroplasty for geriatric femoral neck fractures with 30-day mortality risk.MethodsThis study is a retrospective review using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP), a nationally validated, outcomes-based database incorporating data from over 700 geographically diverse medical centers. It included 9005 patients, 65 years of age or older, who underwent either hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty for a femoral neck fracture between 2011 and 2018. Using multivariate analysis, risk of 30-day mortality based on surgery-to-discharge time was determined, expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsAfter controlling for sex, BMI, age, surgical procedure, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and discharge location, the risk of mortality after discharge was increased with longer post-surgical length of stay [OR 2.5, P < .001].ConclusionProlonged LOS after arthroplasty for geriatric femoral neck fractures is associated with increased 30-day mortality risk. Efforts made to target and mitigate modifiable risk factors responsible for delaying discharge may improve early outcomes in this population.     

髋部股骨转子间骨折的分型与治疗策略

正2000年全球统计约160万例患者发生髋部骨折,其中20%的骨折患者年龄50岁~([1])。预计到2025年,每年会有约260万患者发生髋部骨折,1年内的死亡率可高达30%~([2])。髋部骨折是全球10大致残疾病之一~([3-4])。由于几乎大部分的髋部骨折患者都需要选择手术治疗,髋部骨折的治疗一     

Factors associated with mortality and functional disability after hip fracture: an inception cohort study

Hip fracture results in excess mortality and functional disability. This study sought to identify predictors of mortality and limited functional ability 1 year after hip fracture. We conducted a 1-year follow-up of a prospective population-based inception cohort of 218 hip fracture patients who had been consecutively admitted and discharged from hospital during the previous year. Mortality was observed to be independently associated with poor mental status (relative risk [RR]=6.96; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.73–28.00), prefracture limited functional ability (RR=4.35; 95% CI, 1.32–14.36), institutionalized disposition at discharge (RR=2.92; 95% CI, 1.02–8.38), and male gender (RR=2.44; 95% CI, 1.01–5.93). Independent predictors of limited functional ability were prefracture functional disability (RR=34.14; 95% CI, 3.13–372.33), poor mental status (RR=9.71; 95% CI, 1.57–59.82), age >80 years (RR=4.03; 95% CI, 1.48–11.00), and female gender (RR=3.57; 95% CI, 0.08–0.98). On discharge, special attention and care should thus be given to all patients displaying any of the above predictive factors.     

Different risk profiles for hip fractures and distal forearm fractures: A prospective study

In a prospective cohort of elderly persons, aged 70 years and over, we examined risk indicators for which data could be easily obtained, to construct risk profiles for hip fractures and distal forearm fractures. Participants lived independently, in apartment houses for the elderly or in homes for the elderly. At baseline, information was obtained in 2578 subjects on age, gender, residence, mobility and the frequency of going outdoors. Mobility was measured using a walking score ranging from 1 (not able to walk independently) to 3 (able to walk independently for a fair distance). During the study period (median duration 3.5 years, maximum 4 years) 106 participants sustained a hip fracture and 60 participants suffered a distal forearm fracture. Women compared with men, adjusted for age, had a higher risk of hip fracture (adjusted relative risk (RR)=2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–4.3) and distal forearm fracture (RR=3.7, 95% CI 1.5–9.2). Age, adjusted for gender, was related to hip fractures only: the relative risk of fracture for those in the highest age category (>85 years) was 9.5 (95% CI 4.3–21.2) compared with those in the lowest age category (70–75 years). Moderately impaired walking ability compared with normal walking ability, adjusted for age and gender, was associated with a higher risk of hip fracture (RR=1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.7) but with a lower risk of distal forearm fracture (RR=0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.8). The outdoor score, adjusted for age and gender, was associated with distal forearm fractures only: going outdoors less than once a week, compared with three times or more, was associated with a lower risk of fractures (RR=0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.9). In those living in homes for the elderly the risk of hip fracture was higher compared with those living independently (RR=2.4, 95% CI 1.4–4.2), adjusted for age and gender. Risk profiles were constructed using stepwise Cox's proportional-hazards regression. The risk profile predicted probabilites of sustaining a hip fracture in a 4-year period ranging from 0.4% to 25.9%, and of distal forearm fractures ranging from 0.2% to 4.5%, depending on the subject's characteristics as defined by the risk indicators. We conclude that easily obtainable risk indicators can be used in the prediction of fractures and can discriminate among fracture types.     

First-year mortality and long-term results of hemiarthroplasty for hip fractures in the elderly

Hip fractures are injuries that affect not only the joint in an elderly person, but also the patient's survival. The aim of this study was to asses hemiathroplasty as a treatment for these lesions and their complications; mortality within the first year after fracture was assessed and functional results were compared with the previous conditions. Between 1 January 1995 and 31 May 2001, we treated 29 patients who suffered hip fracture (2 bilateral). The average age was 80.7 years. The mean follow-up was 23 months. We obtained information by a telephone interview. We compared independence in daily activities before and after fracture. Moreover we examined the social surroundings in which the patients lived, before and after the fracture. Of the 24 patients available for follow-up, 4 (16.7%) had clinical and surgical complications. Mortality within the first year after fracture was 24.1% (7 patients). With respect to functional results, 47.4% of patients reached a score between 26 and 54 points (fair) in postoperative time. Furthermore, the percentage of patients who needed to live in geriatric institutions after the fracture increased from 15.8% to 42.1%. We consider hemiarthroplasty to be a treatment which has a lot of advantages, since it allows the immediate return to daily activities and avoids bedrest complications. However we believe that medical society has to advance more in prevention and care of this group of patients due to the high mortality within the first year after fracture, which causes them to lose independence in daily life and to become dependant on third-party assistance. Received: 15 February 2002, Accepted: 10 May 2002 Correspondence to: J. Boretto     

Time trends of mortality after first hip fractures

Summary A register-based study including 2,674 first hip fracture patients from 1987–1996 investigated if the mortality after hip fracture was associated with time trend and fracture type. Despite significantly increasing age at admission no changing time trend of mortality was observed, nor was the mortality linked to the kind of fracture suffered. Introduction and hypothesis A retrospective cohort study was performed to investigate if the mortality of first hip fracture patients was associated with time trend and fracture type. The hypotheses were that cumulative mortality would remain unchanged and there would be no difference in mortality between cervical and pertrochanteric patients. Methods Study material was obtained by record linkage of excerpts from two computerized national health registers. First hip fractures were identified indirectly by searching the files ten years before the date of admission. The period 1987–1996 saw inclusion of 2,674 patients aged 50 years and older (average follow-up 2.6 years). Statistics: Weighted regression analysis, χ ² test, and t test. Results Cumulative mortality did not change significantly (P > 0.05). Weighted average cumulative mortality was 9% (95% CI, 7.9–10.1) at 1 month, 15.5% (95% CI, 14.1–16.8) at 3 months, 26.5% (95% CI, 24.7–28.3) at 1 year, and 36.2% (95% CI, 34.1–38.3) at 2 years. Cervical and pertrochanteric first hip fracture patients did not have significantly different mortality rates (P > 0.05). Conclusion No changing time trend of mortality after first hip fracture was observed despite significantly increasing age at admission, nor was the mortality linked to the kind of fracture suffered.     

Timing of surgery for hip fractures in the elderly: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionAlthough early surgery for elderly patients with hip fracture is recommended in existing clinical guidelines, the results of previous studies are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to compare postoperative outcomes of early and delayed surgery for elderly patients with hip fracture.Materials and MethodsIn this retrospective study using a national inpatient database in Japan, patients aged 65 years or older who underwent surgery for hip fracture between July 2010 and March 2014 were included. Early surgery was defined as surgery on the day or the next day of admission. Assessed outcomes included death within 30 days and hospital-acquired pneumonia.ResultsIn this cohort, 47,073 (22.5%) patients underwent surgery for hip fractures within two days of admission (early surgery group) and 161,805 (77.5%) underwent surgery for hip fractures thereafter (delayed surgery group). Early surgery was significantly associated with lower odds for hospital-acquired pneumonia (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.25–0.69) and pressure ulcers (odds ratio, 0.56, 95%CI: 0.33–0.96, p = 0.035), but was not associated with 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–1.86) or pulmonary embolism (odds ratio, 1.62, 95%CI: 0.58–4.52, p = 0.357).ConclusionsThese results support current guidelines, which recommend early surgery for elderly hip fractures patients.     

Surgical treatment of femoral shaft fractures after total or hemiarthroplasty of the hip

Abstract We report the clinical and radiographical results of surgical treatment of 45 patients with femoral fractures after hip replacement, seen at the Orthopaedic and Trauma Center (CTO) of Florence from 1980 to 1997; fractures treated conservatively were excluded from this retrospective review. There were 30 fractures in patients with homolateral total hip prosthesis and 15 in patients with homolateral hemiarthroplasty of the hip. The mean age of the patients was greater in the second group than in the first group (79 vs. 72 years). Fractures were classified according to Duncan and Masri as types B1 (n=16), B2 (n=13), B3 (n=10) and C (n=6). They were treated surgically by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using cerclage (n=9), plates and screws (n=19), or plates and cerclage (n=2), or revision procedure using long, non-cemented stems (n=13) and a two stages revision in procedure in two cases in whom fractures occurred because of deep infection. At follow-up we evaluated healing, complications, leg length discrepancies, thigh pain, and the patients subjective satisfaction. We found non-union only in 1 case (2.4%). Our results confirm the strict correlation between surgical indications and clinical results: ORIF can be safely proposed only if the stem is well fixed. In fact, all 6 unsatisfactory outcomes (14.3%) were due to technical errors during the surgical procedures: the fractures healed (ORIF was correctly performed) but the stems were unstable and continued to give pain and discomfort.     

Incident vertebral fractures and mortality in older women: a prospective study

Older persons who have prevalent vertebral fractures have an increased risk of mortality. It is not known whether incident vertebral fractures are also associated with an increased risk of mortality. To determine whether older women with incident vertebral fractures have an increased risk of mortality, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 7233 community-dwelling older women aged 65 years or older who were enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. We measured incident vertebral fractures by radiographic morphometry of paired lateral spine X-rays taken an average of 3.7 years apart. We also collected information on baseline prevalent vertebral fractures; calcaneal bone density; anthropometric measures; and demographic, medical history, and lifestyle variables. Overall mortality was assessed and confirmed by receipt of death certificates. Over an average of 3.7 years, 389 (5.4%) women developed at least one incident vertebral fracture. During an additional 8 years of follow-up, 1617 (22%) women died. Women with at least one new fracture had an age-adjusted 32% increased risk of mortality (RH=1.32; 95% CI=1.10–1.58, P=0.003) compared to those without incident vertebral fractures. After adjustment for weight loss, physical frailty markers, and nine other predictors of mortality, there was no longer an independent association between incident vertebral fractures and mortality (RH=1.06; 95% CI=0.88 1.28). Older women with incident vertebral fractures have an increased risk of mortality that may be explained by weight loss and physical frailty.The abstract was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, in Phoenix, Arizona on 12 October 2001.     

Revisiting conservative orthopaedic management of fractures during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to revisit the conservative management of orthopaedic injuries back into sharp focus. On the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, it has been acknowledged by the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) emergency COVID-19 and the National Health Service England (NHSE) guidelines to manage urgent orthopaedic and trauma conditions pragmatically balancing optimum treatment of patients against clinical safety with resource utilization .The current Coronavirus outbreak has refocussed orthopaedic minds on managing many injuries conservatively, which would have otherwise been managed with operative fixations. We revisit the role of conservative orthopaedic management of fractures in the context of COVID-19 and current guidelines.     

Does serum calcium relate to different types of hip fracture? A retrospective study

Purpose: To investigate the potential correlation between two different types of hip fractures and serum calcium levels. Methods: We consecutively studied 101 cases of femoral neck fracture and 95 cases of femoral intertrochanteric fracture between January 2011 and December 2013. Fasting blood samples were taken and serum calcium measurements were performed respectively in three periods: the time of admission, postoperation, and discharge. Creatinine, alkaline phosphatase and albumin were also analyzed. Results: Considering the levels of serum calcium between two groups at the time of admission, postoperation and discharge, there was significant difference at admission and discharge (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference at the time of postoperation (p > 0.05). The magnitude of serum calcium fluctuation was larger in femoral neck group than femoral intertrochanteric group. Concerning alkaline phosphatase and albumin levels at admission, there was no significant difference between two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The capability of reservation and restoration of serum calcium in patients with femoral neck fracture is better than that in patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture. A low serum calcium level may be susceptible to femoral intertrochanteric fracture.     

Management of hip fracture in COVID-19 infected patients

Given that the global population of elderly individuals is expanding and the difficulty of recovery, hip fractures will be a huge challenge and a critical health issue for all of humanity. Although people have spent more time at home during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, hip fractures show no sign of abating. Extensive studies have shown that patients with hip fracture and COVID-19 have a multifold increase in mortality compared to those uninfected and a more complex clinical condition. At present, no detailed research has systematically analyzed the relationship between these two conditions and proposed a comprehensive solution. This article aims to systematically review the impact of COVID-19 on hip fracture and provide practical suggestions. We found that hip fracture patients with COVID-19 have higher mortality rates and more complicated clinical outcomes. Indirectly, COVID-19 prevents hip fracture patients from receiving regular medical treatment. With regard to the problems we encounter, we provide clinical recommendations based on existing research evidence and a clinical flowchart for the management of hip fracture patients who are COVID-19 positive. Our study will help clinicians adequately prepare in advance when dealing with such patients and optimize treatment decisions.     

Cycling injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the first COVID-19 lockdown period: A multi-centre SCottish Orthopaedic Research collaborativE (SCORE) study

IntroductionThe COVID-19 lockdown resulted in decreased vehicle use and an increased uptake in cycling. This study investigated the trends in cycling-related injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the COVID-19 lockdown period compared with similar time periods in 2018 and 2019.MethodsData were collected prospectively for patients in 2020 and collected retrospectively for 2019 and 2018, from hospitals within four NHS Scotland Health Boards encompassing three major trauma centres. All patients who sustained an injury as a result of cycling requiring orthopaedic intervention were included. Patient age, sex, mechanism of injury, diagnosis and treatment outcome from electronic patient records.ResultsNumber of injuries requiring surgery 2020: 77 (mean age/years – 42.7); 2019: 47 (mean age/years - 42.7); 2018: 32 (mean age/years – 31.3). Overall incidence of cycling injuries 2020: 6.7%; 2019: 3.0%; 2018: 2.1%. Commonest mechanism of injury: fall from bike 2020 n = 54 (70.1%); 2019 n = 41 (65.1%); 2018 n = 25 (67.6%). Commonest injury type: fracture 2020 n = 68 (79.1%); 2019 n = 33 (70.2%); 2018 n = 20 (62.5%). Commonest areas affected: Upper extremity: 2020 n = 45 (58.5%); 2019 n = 25 (53.2%); 2018 n = 25 (78.1%). Lower extremity: 2020 n = 23 (29.9%); 2019 n = 14 (29.7%); 2018 n = 7 (21.8%).ConclusionA significant increase in the number of cycling related injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention, a greater proportion of female cyclists and an older mean age of patients affected was observed during the COVID-19 lockdown period compared with previous years. The most common types of injury were fractures followed by lacerations and fracture-dislocations. The upper extremity was the commonest area affected.