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Hip fractures in the non-elderly—Who, why and whither?

Rogmark, Cecilia LU ; Kristensen, Morten Tange LU ; Viberg, Bjarke ; Rönnquist, Sebastian Strøm LU orcid ; Overgaard, Søren and Palm, Henrik (2018) In Injury 49(8). p.1445-1450
Abstract

Nonelderly hip fracture patients have gathered little scientific attention, and our understanding of the group may be biased by patient case-mix and lack of follow-up. Preconceptions may thwart adequate investigation of bone health and other comorbidities. This literature review focusses on who these patients between 20 and 60 years are, how to treat them and how to evaluate the outcome. 2–11% of the hip fractures occur in non-elderly, equally common in men and women. Every second to forth patient smoke, have chronic diseases, and abuse alcohol. Poor self-rated health, sleep disturbances, low cognitive function and education are associated with increased hip fracture risk in young adults. Bone health is poorly investigated, but... (More)

Nonelderly hip fracture patients have gathered little scientific attention, and our understanding of the group may be biased by patient case-mix and lack of follow-up. Preconceptions may thwart adequate investigation of bone health and other comorbidities. This literature review focusses on who these patients between 20 and 60 years are, how to treat them and how to evaluate the outcome. 2–11% of the hip fractures occur in non-elderly, equally common in men and women. Every second to forth patient smoke, have chronic diseases, and abuse alcohol. Poor self-rated health, sleep disturbances, low cognitive function and education are associated with increased hip fracture risk in young adults. Bone health is poorly investigated, but literature suggest young patients to have lower bone mineral density regardless of trauma mechanism. Studies contradict on whether surgery within 8–12 h reduce the risk of avascular necrosis in femoral neck fractures (FNF). Based on rationality, surgery ought to be performed promptly, in order to reduce pain and permit rehabilitation. There is no convincing support from the existing literature to use open reduction. Good reduction is mandatory, preferably using a closed reduction technique. The failure rate following internal fixation of displaced FNF in younger patients can be as high as 59%. In some cases a displaced FNF is better treated with a primary arthroplasty; in case of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis for example. Complications after extracapsular fractures vary from 6 to 23%. The relatively few studies looking at functional outcome in non-elderly use a multitude of outcome measures, precluding comparisons. Many non-elderly patients seem not to fully recover. While some non-elderly hip fracture patients are healthy individuals sustaining high energy trauma, others have low-energy fractures and comorbidities including reduced bone strength (either as a primary or secondary condition). i.e. non-delaying medical optimization, proper surgical technique, bone health investigation and secondary fracture prevention is necessary. Younger hip fracture patients are at risk of permanent loss of function, and negative socioeconomic and psychological consequences. High-energy trauma does not exclude the presence of osteopenia. A hip fracture in adulthood and middle-age is very seldom caused by bad luck only!

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Avascular necrosis, non-union, patient reported outcome, Femoral neck fracture, Hip fracture, Osteopenia, Trauma mechanism, Young
in
Injury
volume
49
issue
8
pages
1445 - 1450
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85049455451
  • pmid:29983171
ISSN
0020-1383
DOI
10.1016/j.injury.2018.06.028
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9648367d-760f-4fec-9b77-4b90d13b4a21
date added to LUP
2018-07-26 12:31:17
date last changed
2024-05-27 14:28:11
@article{9648367d-760f-4fec-9b77-4b90d13b4a21,
  abstract     = {{<p>Nonelderly hip fracture patients have gathered little scientific attention, and our understanding of the group may be biased by patient case-mix and lack of follow-up. Preconceptions may thwart adequate investigation of bone health and other comorbidities. This literature review focusses on who these patients between 20 and 60 years are, how to treat them and how to evaluate the outcome. 2–11% of the hip fractures occur in non-elderly, equally common in men and women. Every second to forth patient smoke, have chronic diseases, and abuse alcohol. Poor self-rated health, sleep disturbances, low cognitive function and education are associated with increased hip fracture risk in young adults. Bone health is poorly investigated, but literature suggest young patients to have lower bone mineral density regardless of trauma mechanism. Studies contradict on whether surgery within 8–12 h reduce the risk of avascular necrosis in femoral neck fractures (FNF). Based on rationality, surgery ought to be performed promptly, in order to reduce pain and permit rehabilitation. There is no convincing support from the existing literature to use open reduction. Good reduction is mandatory, preferably using a closed reduction technique. The failure rate following internal fixation of displaced FNF in younger patients can be as high as 59%. In some cases a displaced FNF is better treated with a primary arthroplasty; in case of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis for example. Complications after extracapsular fractures vary from 6 to 23%. The relatively few studies looking at functional outcome in non-elderly use a multitude of outcome measures, precluding comparisons. Many non-elderly patients seem not to fully recover. While some non-elderly hip fracture patients are healthy individuals sustaining high energy trauma, others have low-energy fractures and comorbidities including reduced bone strength (either as a primary or secondary condition). i.e. non-delaying medical optimization, proper surgical technique, bone health investigation and secondary fracture prevention is necessary. Younger hip fracture patients are at risk of permanent loss of function, and negative socioeconomic and psychological consequences. High-energy trauma does not exclude the presence of osteopenia. A hip fracture in adulthood and middle-age is very seldom caused by bad luck only!</p>}},
  author       = {{Rogmark, Cecilia and Kristensen, Morten Tange and Viberg, Bjarke and Rönnquist, Sebastian Strøm and Overgaard, Søren and Palm, Henrik}},
  issn         = {{0020-1383}},
  keywords     = {{Avascular necrosis, non-union, patient reported outcome; Femoral neck fracture; Hip fracture; Osteopenia; Trauma mechanism; Young}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1445--1450}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Injury}},
  title        = {{Hip fractures in the non-elderly—Who, why and whither?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2018.06.028}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.injury.2018.06.028}},
  volume       = {{49}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}