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It was not a hip fracture – you were lucky this time – or perhaps not! A prospective study of clinical outcomes in patients with low-energy pelvic fractures and hip contusions

Larsson, Glenn LU ; Strömberg, Ulf ; Rogmark, Cecilia LU and Nilsdotter, Anna LU (2019) In Injury 50(4). p.913-918
Abstract

Introduction: Prehospital and hospital emergency care guidelines have been developed for patients with suspected hip fracture. Initial radiography can identify a number of patients with other injuries, generally pelvic fractures and hip contusions. Little is known about the prognosis for these patients. The aim of this study is twofold: i) to investigate the injury pattern of patients assessed in prehospital emergency care as suffering from a suspected hip fracture and ii) to compare clinical outcomes between patients with verified hip fracture (HF) and those with other hip injuries (OHI). Method: The study design was prospective. Older patients with suspected HF after low-energy trauma were identified in prehospital emergency care.... (More)

Introduction: Prehospital and hospital emergency care guidelines have been developed for patients with suspected hip fracture. Initial radiography can identify a number of patients with other injuries, generally pelvic fractures and hip contusions. Little is known about the prognosis for these patients. The aim of this study is twofold: i) to investigate the injury pattern of patients assessed in prehospital emergency care as suffering from a suspected hip fracture and ii) to compare clinical outcomes between patients with verified hip fracture (HF) and those with other hip injuries (OHI). Method: The study design was prospective. Older patients with suspected HF after low-energy trauma were identified in prehospital emergency care. Injury type was determined by radiological imaging. Comparisons of length of stay, adverse events, repeated prehospital emergency care and mortality were made between verified HF and OHI cases. Results: 449 patients were included, 400 in the HF and 149 in the OHI group (86 hip contusions, 46 pelvic fractures and 17 other injuries/diseases). The HF group had a significantly longer hospital stay (9.5 days vs. 6.3 for the OHI group; p < 0.001) and more adverse events while in hospital (34% vs. 19%; p < 0.001). We found no evidence that the groups differed with regard to other outcomes: mortality during hospital stay (4% vs. 2%, p = 0.42), at 4 (16% vs. 13%; p = 0.35) and 12 months (21 vs. 23%; p = 0.64), the proportion that experienced an adverse event (24% vs. 22%; p = 0.65) and the proportion that required another ambulance transport within 6 months after discharge (40% vs. 34%; p = 0.16). The results were not strongly affected by adjustments for possible confounders. Conclusion: Older patients who suffer a low-energy pelvic fracture or a hip contusion are common in prehospital and hospital emergency care. These patients need attention as they have poor outcomes in terms of adverse events, mortality and recurrent need for ambulance transport after discharge from hospital. While individualized multidisciplinary care is recommended for hip fracture patients, it might also be suitable for other geriatric hip injuries.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
A&E, Hip contusion, Hip fracture, Pelvic fracture, Prehospital emergency care
in
Injury
volume
50
issue
4
pages
913 - 918
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85063189303
  • pmid:30910240
ISSN
0020-1383
DOI
10.1016/j.injury.2019.03.021
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f1eb8710-a125-4e1d-bbf6-10262a3a86fb
date added to LUP
2019-04-02 13:34:19
date last changed
2024-03-02 23:38:17
@article{f1eb8710-a125-4e1d-bbf6-10262a3a86fb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Prehospital and hospital emergency care guidelines have been developed for patients with suspected hip fracture. Initial radiography can identify a number of patients with other injuries, generally pelvic fractures and hip contusions. Little is known about the prognosis for these patients. The aim of this study is twofold: i) to investigate the injury pattern of patients assessed in prehospital emergency care as suffering from a suspected hip fracture and ii) to compare clinical outcomes between patients with verified hip fracture (HF) and those with other hip injuries (OHI). Method: The study design was prospective. Older patients with suspected HF after low-energy trauma were identified in prehospital emergency care. Injury type was determined by radiological imaging. Comparisons of length of stay, adverse events, repeated prehospital emergency care and mortality were made between verified HF and OHI cases. Results: 449 patients were included, 400 in the HF and 149 in the OHI group (86 hip contusions, 46 pelvic fractures and 17 other injuries/diseases). The HF group had a significantly longer hospital stay (9.5 days vs. 6.3 for the OHI group; p &lt; 0.001) and more adverse events while in hospital (34% vs. 19%; p &lt; 0.001). We found no evidence that the groups differed with regard to other outcomes: mortality during hospital stay (4% vs. 2%, p = 0.42), at 4 (16% vs. 13%; p = 0.35) and 12 months (21 vs. 23%; p = 0.64), the proportion that experienced an adverse event (24% vs. 22%; p = 0.65) and the proportion that required another ambulance transport within 6 months after discharge (40% vs. 34%; p = 0.16). The results were not strongly affected by adjustments for possible confounders. Conclusion: Older patients who suffer a low-energy pelvic fracture or a hip contusion are common in prehospital and hospital emergency care. These patients need attention as they have poor outcomes in terms of adverse events, mortality and recurrent need for ambulance transport after discharge from hospital. While individualized multidisciplinary care is recommended for hip fracture patients, it might also be suitable for other geriatric hip injuries.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Glenn and Strömberg, Ulf and Rogmark, Cecilia and Nilsdotter, Anna}},
  issn         = {{0020-1383}},
  keywords     = {{A&E; Hip contusion; Hip fracture; Pelvic fracture; Prehospital emergency care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{913--918}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Injury}},
  title        = {{It was not a hip fracture – you were lucky this time – or perhaps not! A prospective study of clinical outcomes in patients with low-energy pelvic fractures and hip contusions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2019.03.021}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.injury.2019.03.021}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}