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Treatment of humerus fractures in the elderly : A systematic review covering effectiveness, safety, economic aspects and evolution of practice

Navarro, Cecilia Mellstrand ; Brolund, Agneta ; Ekholm, Carl ; Heintz, Emelie ; Ekström, Emin Hoxha ; Josefsson, Per Olof LU ; Leander, Lina ; Nordström, Peter ; Zidén, Lena LU and Stenström, Karin (2018) In PLoS ONE 13(12).
Abstract

Objectives The objective of this Health Technology Assessment was to evaluate effectiveness, complications and cost-effectiveness of surgical or non-surgical treatment for proximal, diaphyseal or distal fractures of the humerus in elderly patients. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the intervention costs per treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) and to investigate treatment traditions of PHF in Sweden. Methods and findings The assessment contains a systematic review of clinical and health economic studies comparing treatment options for humerus fractures in elderly patients. The results regarding the effectiveness of treatments are summarized in meta-analyses. The assessment also includes a cost analysis for treatment... (More)

Objectives The objective of this Health Technology Assessment was to evaluate effectiveness, complications and cost-effectiveness of surgical or non-surgical treatment for proximal, diaphyseal or distal fractures of the humerus in elderly patients. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the intervention costs per treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) and to investigate treatment traditions of PHF in Sweden. Methods and findings The assessment contains a systematic review of clinical and health economic studies comparing treatment options for humerus fractures in elderly patients. The results regarding the effectiveness of treatments are summarized in meta-analyses. The assessment also includes a cost analysis for treatment options and an analysis of registry data of PHF. For hemiarthroplasty (HA) and non-operative treatment, there was no clinically important difference for moderately displaced PHF at one-year follow-up regarding patient rated outcomes, (standardized mean difference [SMD]) -0.17 (95% CI: -0.56; 0.23). The intervention cost for HA was at least USD 5500 higher than non-surgical treatment. The trend in Sweden is that surgical treatment of PHF is increasing. When functional outcome of percutaneous fixation/ plate fixation/prosthesis surgery and non-surgical treatment was compared for PHF there were no clinically relevant differences, SMD -0.05 (95% CI: -0.26; 0.15). There was not enough data for interpretation of quality of life or complications. Evidence was scarce regarding comparisons of different surgical options for humerus fracture treatment. The cost of plate fixation of a PHF was at least USD 3900 higher than non-surgical treatment, costs for complications excluded. In Sweden the incidence of plate fixation of PHF increased between 2005 and 2011. Conclusions There is moderate/low certainty of evidence that surgical treatment of moderately displaced PHF in elderly patients has not been proven to be superior to less costly non-surgical treatment options. Further research of humerus fractures is likely to have an important impact.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
13
issue
12
article number
e0207815
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:30543644
  • scopus:85058373227
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0207815
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
a11a1655-ea5f-4ee2-8f88-f33cbb3f52f9
date added to LUP
2019-01-04 10:51:21
date last changed
2024-06-11 02:00:02
@article{a11a1655-ea5f-4ee2-8f88-f33cbb3f52f9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives The objective of this Health Technology Assessment was to evaluate effectiveness, complications and cost-effectiveness of surgical or non-surgical treatment for proximal, diaphyseal or distal fractures of the humerus in elderly patients. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the intervention costs per treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) and to investigate treatment traditions of PHF in Sweden. Methods and findings The assessment contains a systematic review of clinical and health economic studies comparing treatment options for humerus fractures in elderly patients. The results regarding the effectiveness of treatments are summarized in meta-analyses. The assessment also includes a cost analysis for treatment options and an analysis of registry data of PHF. For hemiarthroplasty (HA) and non-operative treatment, there was no clinically important difference for moderately displaced PHF at one-year follow-up regarding patient rated outcomes, (standardized mean difference [SMD]) -0.17 (95% CI: -0.56; 0.23). The intervention cost for HA was at least USD 5500 higher than non-surgical treatment. The trend in Sweden is that surgical treatment of PHF is increasing. When functional outcome of percutaneous fixation/ plate fixation/prosthesis surgery and non-surgical treatment was compared for PHF there were no clinically relevant differences, SMD -0.05 (95% CI: -0.26; 0.15). There was not enough data for interpretation of quality of life or complications. Evidence was scarce regarding comparisons of different surgical options for humerus fracture treatment. The cost of plate fixation of a PHF was at least USD 3900 higher than non-surgical treatment, costs for complications excluded. In Sweden the incidence of plate fixation of PHF increased between 2005 and 2011. Conclusions There is moderate/low certainty of evidence that surgical treatment of moderately displaced PHF in elderly patients has not been proven to be superior to less costly non-surgical treatment options. Further research of humerus fractures is likely to have an important impact.</p>}},
  author       = {{Navarro, Cecilia Mellstrand and Brolund, Agneta and Ekholm, Carl and Heintz, Emelie and Ekström, Emin Hoxha and Josefsson, Per Olof and Leander, Lina and Nordström, Peter and Zidén, Lena and Stenström, Karin}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Treatment of humerus fractures in the elderly : A systematic review covering effectiveness, safety, economic aspects and evolution of practice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207815}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0207815}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}