Anesthetic Methods for Hip Fracture.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the benefits, risks, and contraindications of traditional and new anesthesia approaches for hip fracture surgery and describe what is known about the impact of these approaches on postoperative outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: This review describes general and spinal anesthesia, peripheral nerve block techniques used for pain management, and novel, local anesthesia approaches which may provide significant benefit compared with traditional approaches by minimizing high-risk induction time and decreasing respiratory suppression and short- and long-term cognitive effects. Hip fracture surgery places a large physiologic stress on an already frail patient, and anesthesia choice plays an important role in managing risk of perioperative morbidity. New local anesthesia techniques may decrease morbidity and mortality, particularly in higher-risk patients.

Weight-bearing Guidelines for Common Geriatric Upper and Lower Extremity Fractures.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review paper is to summarize current weight-bearing guidelines for common geriatric fractures, around weight-bearing joints, of the upper and lower extremities. RECENT FINDINGS: There is an increasing amount of literature investigating the safety and efficacy of early weight-bearing in geriatric fractures, particularly of the lower extremity. Many recent studies, although limited, suggest that early weight-bearing may be safe for geriatric distal femur and ankle fractures. Given the limited data pertaining to early weight-bearing in geriatric fractures, it is difficult to establish concrete weight-bearing guidelines in this population. However, in the literature available, early weight-bearing appears to be safe and effective across most injuries. The degree and time to weight-bearing vary significantly based on fracture type and treatment method. Future studies investigating postoperative weight-bearing protocols should focus on the growing geriatric population and identify methods to address specific barriers to early weight-bearing in these patients such as cognitive impairment, dependence on caregivers, and variations in post-acute disposition.

Loss of Muscle Mass and Strength After Hip Fracture: an Intervention Target for Nutrition Supplementation.

PURPOSEOF REVIEW: To summarize what is known about the deleterious effect of hip fracture on muscle mass and strength as well as the scientific evidence for post-surgical nutrition supplementation to maintain muscle and improve function. RECENT FINDINGS: This review provides a discussion of the relationship between muscle mass, strength, and physical function following hip fracture, briefly describes the approaches to measuring lean mass, discusses prevalence of sarcopenia and malnutrition among older men and women with hip fracture, and reviews the effects of essential amino acids on muscle. Loss of muscle mass and strength following hip fracture is substantial with consequences for recovery of functional independence. EAA-based nutrition supplementation, which directly effects muscle, has potential to improve outcomes.

Predictors of falls in older adults with and without dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Persons living with, versus without, dementia (PLWD) have heightened fall-risk. Little is known about whether fall-risk factors differ by dementia status. METHODS: Using the 2015 and 2016 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we prospectively identified fall-risk factors over a 12-month period among community-living older adults ≥65 years with and without dementia (n = 5581). RESULTS: Fall rates were higher among PLWD compared to persons without dementia (45.5% vs. 30.9%). In a multivariable model including sociodemographic, health, function, and environmental characteristics as predictors, vision impairment (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.12-4.40), and living with a spouse versus alone (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.09-5.43) predicted falls among PLWD, but not among persons without dementia. History of previous falls predicted subsequent falls regardless of dementia status (OR: 6.20, 95% CI: 3.81-10.09, and OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.50-3.40, respectively). DISCUSSION: Incorporating appropriate fall-risk factors could inform effective falls screening and prevention strategies for PLWD. HIGHLIGHTS: 46% of persons with dementia had ≥1 falls versus 31% of those without dementia in 2016. Vision impairment and living with a spouse predicted falls in persons with dementia. Study results support tailored fall prevention strategies for persons with dementia.

Effect of Severe Distal Tibia, Ankle, and Mid- to Hindfoot Trauma on Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines 18 Months After Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of severe lower extremity trauma on meeting Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAGA) 18 months after injury and perform an exploratory analysis to identify demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with meeting PAGA. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of observational cohort study. SETTING: A total of 34 United States trauma centers PARTICIPANTS: A total of 328 adults with severe distal tibia, ankle and mid- to hindfoot injuries treated with limb reconstruction (N=328). INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity levels 18 months after injury. Meeting PAGA was defined as combined moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity ≥150 minutes per week or vigorous-intensity activity ≥75 minutes per week. RESULTS: Fewer patients engaged in moderate- or vigorous-intensity activity after injury compared with before injury (moderate: 44% vs 66%, P<.001; vigorous: 18% vs 29%; P<.001). Patients spent 404±565 minutes per week in combined moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity before injury compared with 224±453 minutes postinjury (difference: 180min per week; 95% confidence interval [CI], 103-256). The adjusted odds of meeting PAGA were lower for patients with depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28-0.73), women (AOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.35-1.00), and Black or Hispanic patients (AOR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.85). Patients meeting PAGA prior to injury were more likely to meet PAGA after injury (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.20-3.31). CONCLUSIONS: Patients spend significantly less time in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity after injury. Patients with depression are less likely to meet PAGA. Although the causal relationship is unclear, results highlight the importance of screening for depression.

Construct Validity of Pediatric PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Testing Measures in Children With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: The use of patient-reported outcome measures, especially Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures, has increased in recent years. Given this growth, it is imperative to ensure that the measures being used are validated for the intended population(s)/disease(s). Our objective was to assess the construct validity of 8 PROMIS computer adaptive testing (CAT) measures among children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 200 children (aged 10 to 17 y) with AIS, who completed 8 PROMIS CATs (Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms, Mobility, Pain Behavior, Pain Interference, Peer Relationships, Physical Activity, Physical Stress Experiences) and the Scoliosis Research Society-22r questionnaire (SRS-22r) electronically. Treatment categories were observation, bracing, indicated for surgery, or postoperative from posterior spinal fusion. Construct validity was evaluated using known group analysis and convergent and discriminant validity analyses. Analysis of variance was used to identify differences in PROMIS T -scores by treatment category (known groups). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient ( rs ) was calculated between corresponding PROMIS and SRS-22r domains (convergent) and between unrelated PROMIS domains (discriminant). Floor/ceiling effects were calculated. RESULTS: Among treatment categories, significant differences were found in PROMIS Mobility, Pain Behavior, Pain Interference, and Physical Stress Experiences and in all SRS-22r domains ( P <0.05) except Mental Health ( P =0.15). SRS-22r Pain was strongly correlated with PROMIS Pain Interference ( rs =-0.72) and Pain Behavior ( rs =-0.71) and moderately correlated with Physical Stress Experiences ( rs =-0.57). SRS-22r Mental Health was strongly correlated with PROMIS Depressive Symptoms ( rs =-0.72) and moderately correlated with Anxiety ( rs =-0.62). SRS-22r Function was moderately correlated with PROMIS Mobility ( rs =0.64) and weakly correlated with Physical Activity ( rs =0.34). SRS-22r Self-Image was weakly correlated with PROMIS Peer Relationships ( rs =0.33). All unrelated PROMIS CATs were weakly correlated (| rs |<0.40). PROMIS Anxiety, Mobility, Pain Behavior, and Pain Interference and SRS-22r Function, Pain, and Satisfaction displayed ceiling effects. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supports the construct validity of 6 PROMIS CATs in evaluating AIS patients. Ceiling effects should be considered when using specific PROMIS CATs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic.

Time to Completion of Pediatric PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Testing Measures and the SRS-22r in an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Population.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures are useful tools to quantify patients' pre-treatment and post-treatment symptoms. Historically used "legacy measures", such as the Scoliosis Research Society-22 revised questionnaire (SRS-22r), are often disease-specific and can be time-intensive. Recently developed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive testing (CAT) measures may reduce administrative burdens and permit more efficient outcome collection within clinic workflows. In an era of medicine where payments are becoming tied to outcomes, we sought to assess the time to completion (TTC) of 8 pediatric PROMIS CAT measures and the SRS-22r in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients presenting to a large, urban tertiary referral hospital were prospectively enrolled into the study. Subjects were first-time survey respondents in various phases and types of treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. In total, 200 patients ranging from 10 to 17 years old completed 8 Pediatric PROMIS CATs and the SRS-22r. PROMIS CATs administered include Physical Activity, Mobility, Anxiety, Depressive symptoms, Peer Relationships, Physical Stress Experiences, Pain Behavior and Pain Interference. TTC was calculated using start and stop timestamps in the REDCap software. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) TTC for each PROMIS CAT was 1.1 (±0.9) minutes with physical activity, mobility, anxiety, depressive symptoms, peer relationships, physical stress experiences, pain behavior, and pain interference taking 1.2, 1.4, 1.0, 0.9, 1.2, 1.0, 1.0, and 1.2 minutes on average to complete, respectively. Mean TTC for the SRS-22r was 5.2 (±3.0) minutes. CONCLUSIONS: In this pediatric orthopaedic cohort, completion of 8 PROMIS CATs demonstrated minimal test-taker burden and time required for completion. These findings support rapid and easily integrable PROMIS CATs in clinical practice to aid in increased delivery of efficient, patient-centered care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, cross-sectional study.

Healthcare task difficulty among older adults with multimorbidity.

BACKGROUND: Applying disease-specific guidelines to people with multimorbidity may result in complex regimens that impose treatment burden. OBJECTIVES: To describe and validate a measure of healthcare task difficulty (HCTD) in a sample of older adults with multimorbidity. RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal secondary data analysis. SUBJECTS: Multimorbid adults aged 65 years or older from primary care clinics. MEASURES: We generated a scale (0-16) of self-reported difficulty with 8 HCTD and conducted factor analysis to assess its dimensionality and internal consistency. To assess predictive ability, cross-sectional associations of HCTD and number of chronic diseases, and conditions that add to health status complexity (falls, visual, and hearing impairment), patient activation, patient-reported quality of chronic illness care (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care), mental and physical health (SF-36) were tested using statistical tests for trend (n=904). Longitudinal analyses of the effects of change in HCTD on changes in the outcomes were conducted among a subset (n=370) with ≥1 follow-up at 6 and/or 18 months. All models were adjusted for age, education, sex, race, and time. RESULTS: Greater HCTD was associated with worse mental and physical health [Cuzick test for trend (P<0.05)], and patient-reported quality of chronic illness care (P<0.05). In longitudinal analysis, increasing patient activation was associated with declining HCTD over time (P<0.01). Increasing HCTD over time was associated with declining mental (P<0.001) and physical health (P=0.001) and patient-reported quality of chronic illness care (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study establish the construct validity of the HCTD scale.

Cost of U.S emergency department and inpatient visits for fall injuries in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Falls are a leading cause of injury and hospital readmissions in older adults. Understanding the distribution of acute treatment costs across inpatient and emergency department settings is critical for informed investment and evaluation of fall prevention efforts. METHODS: This study used the 2016-2018 National Inpatient Sample and National Emergency Department Sample. Annual treatment cost of fall injury among adults 65 years and older was estimated from charges, applying cost-to-charge and professional fee ratios. Weighted multivariable generalized linear models were used to separately estimate cost for inpatient and emergency department (ED) setting by injury type and individual demographic and health characteristics after adjusting for payer and hospital level characteristics. RESULTS: Older adults incurred an estimated 922,428 inpatient and 2.3 million ED visits annually due to falls with combined annual costs of $19.8 billion. Over half of inpatient visits for fall injury were for fracture. Notably, 23% of inpatient visits were for fractures other than hip fracture and 14% of inpatient visits were for multiple fractures with costs totaling $3.4 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively. Annual ED costs were driven by superficial injury totaling $1.5 billion. Cost of ED visits were higher for adults 85 years and older (adjusted cost ratio (aCR): 1.11, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)I: 1.11-1.12) and those with dementia (aCR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.13-1.15). Higher inpatient and ED visit cost was also associated with high-energy falls and discharge to post-acute care. CONCLUSION: The study found that more than 3 million older adults in the United States seek hospital care for fall injuries annually, a major concern given increasing capacity strain on hospitals and EDs. The $20 billion in annual acute treatment costs attributed to fall injury indicate an urgent need to implement evidence-based fall prevention interventions and underscores the importance of newly launched ED-based fall prevention efforts and investments in geriatric emergency departments.

Surgical management and weight-bearing recommendations for geriatric distal femur fractures.

Objective: To investigate current practices among orthopaedic trauma surgeons in treating geriatric distal femur fractures and evaluate current postoperative weight-bearing recommendations. Methods: A 26-question survey was emailed to Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium surgeon members to characterize current practice with different fixation methods for distal femur fractures and the surgeon-directed postoperative weight-bearing recommendations for each approach. Results: Surveys were completed by 123 orthopaedic trauma surgeons with a response rate of 37% (123/332). Retrograde intramedullary nailing (IMN) was commonly performed by 88% of surgeons, and lateral locked plate was commonly performed by 74% of surgeons. Retrograde IMN with a lateral plate was commonly performed by 51% of surgeons. Dual femoral plating was commonly performed by 18% of surgeons and sometimes performed by 39% of surgeons. Surgeons were significantly more likely to allow immediate postoperative weight-bearing for retrograde IMN (P < 0.001), retrograde IMN with lateral plate (P < 0.001), and dual plate (P < 0.001) as compared with locked lateral plate. Most surgeons (79%) would be interested in participating in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating single implant versus dual implant for distal femur fractures and believe that a trial incorporating immediate weight-bearing is important. Conclusion: A variety of implants are commonly used to treat geriatric distal femur fractures. Patients with distal femur fracture commonly have weight-bearing restrictions in the immediate postoperative period. A large proportion of orthopaedic trauma surgeons have clinical equipoise for an RCT to investigate the impact of surgical construct and weight-bearing on geriatric distal femur fracture patient recovery.

Testing the Reliability of Optical Coherence Tomography to Measure Epidermal Thickness and Distinguish Volar and Nonvolar Skin.

In persons with limb loss, prosthetic devices cause skin breakdown, largely because residual limb skin (nonvolar) is not intended to bear weight such as palmoplantar (volar) skin. Before evaluation of treatment efficacy to improve skin resiliency, efforts are needed to establish normative data and assess outcome metric reliability. The purpose of this study was to use optical coherence tomography to (i) characterize volar and nonvolar skin epidermal thickness and (ii) examine the reliability of optical coherence tomography. Four orientations of optical coherence tomography images were collected on 33 volunteers (6 with limb loss) at 2 time points, and the epidermis was traced to quantify thickness by 3 evaluators. Epidermal thickness was greater (P < .01) for volar skin (palm) (265.1 ± 50.9 µm, n = 33) than for both nonvolar locations: posterior thigh (89.8 ± 18.1 µm, n = 27) or residual limb (93.4 ± 27.4 µm, n = 6). The inter-rater intraclass correlation coefficient was high for volar skin (0.887-0.956) but low for nonvolar skin (thigh: 0.292-0.391, residual limb: 0.211-0.580). Correlation improved when comparing only 2 evaluators who used the same display technique (palm: 0.827-0.940, thigh: 0.633-0.877, residual limb: 0.213-0.952). Despite poor inter-rater agreement for nonvolar skin, perhaps due to challenges in identifying the dermal-epidermal junction, this study helps to support the utility of optical coherence tomography to distinguish volar from nonvolar skin.

Do Transtibial Amputations Outperform Amputations of the Hind- and Midfoot Following Severe Limb Trauma?: A Secondary Analysis of the OUTLET Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare 18-month clinical and patient-reported outcomes between patients with severe lower-limb injuries treated with a transtibial amputation or a hind- or midfoot amputation. Despite the theoretical benefits of hind- and midfoot-level amputation, we hypothesized that patients with transtibial amputations would report better function and have fewer complications. METHODS: The study included patients 18 to 60 years of age who were treated with a transtibial amputation (n = 77) or a distal amputation (n = 17) and who were enrolled in the prospective, multicenter Outcomes Following Severe Distal Tibial, Ankle, and/or Foot Trauma (OUTLET) study. The primary outcome was the difference in Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) scores, and secondary outcomes included pain, complications, amputation revision, and amputation healing. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients with distal versus transtibial amputation in any of the domains of the SMFA: dysfunction index [distal versus transtibial], 31.2 versus 22.3 (p = 0.13); daily activities, 37.3 versus 26.0 (p = 0.17); emotional status, 41.4 versus 29.3 (p = 0.07); mobility, 36.5 versus 27.8 (p = 0.20); and bother index, 34.4 versus 23.6 (p = 0.14). Rates of complications requiring revision were higher for distal amputations but not significantly so (23.5% versus 13.3%; p = 0.28). One distal and no transtibial amputees required revision to a higher level (p = 0.18). A higher proportion of patients with distal compared with transtibial amputation required local surgical revision (17.7% versus 13.3%; p = 0.69). There was no significant difference between the distal and transtibial groups in scores on the Brief Pain Index at 18 months post-injury. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical complication rates did not differ significantly between patients who underwent transtibial versus hind- or midfoot amputation for severe lower-extremity injury. The average SMFA scores were higher (worse), although not significantly different, for patients undergoing distal compared with transtibial amputation, and more patients with distal amputation had a complication requiring surgical revision. Of note, more patients with distal amputation required closure with an atypical flap, which likely contributed to less favorable outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

How many sites should an orthopedic trauma prospective multicenter trial have? A marginal analysis of the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium completed trials.

BACKGROUND: Multicenter trials in orthopedic trauma are costly, yet crucial to advance the science behind clinical care. The number of sites is a key cost determinant. Each site has a fixed overhead cost, so more sites cost more to the study. However, more sites can reduce total costs by shortening the study duration. We propose to determine the optimal number of sites based on known costs and predictable site enrollment. METHODS: This retrospective marginal analysis utilized administrative and financial data from 12 trials completed by the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium. The studies varied in size, design, and clinical focus. Enrollment across the studies ranged from 1054 to 33 patients. Design ranged from an observational study with light data collection to a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Initial modeling identified the optimal number of sites for each study and sensitivity analyses determined the sensitivity of the model to variation in fixed overhead costs. RESULTS: No study was optimized in terms of the number of participating sites. Excess sites ranged from 2 to 39. Excess costs associated with extra sites ranged from $17K to $330K with a median excess cost of $96K. Excess costs were, on average, 7% of the total study budget. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that studies with higher overhead costs require more sites to complete the study as quickly as possible. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that this model may be used by clinical researchers to achieve future study goals in a more cost-effective manner. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Please see Table 1 for individual trial registration numbers and dates of registration.

Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) in Severe Lower Extremity Trauma: Pooled Data from 7 Multicenter, Prospective Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: The Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) is a well validated, widely used patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure for orthopaedic patients. Despite its widespread use and acceptance, this measure does not have an agreed upon minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The purpose of the present study was to create distributional MCIDs with use of a large cohort of research participants with severe lower extremity fractures. METHODS: Three distributional approaches were used to calculate MCIDs for the Dysfunction and Bother Indices of the SMFA as well as all its domains: (1) half of the standard deviation (one-half SD), (2) twice the standard error of measurement (2SEM), and (3) minimal detectable change (MDC). In addition to evaluating by patient characteristics and the timing of assessment, we reviewed these calculations across several injury groups likely to affect functional outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 4,298 SMFA assessments were collected from 3,185 patients who had undergone surgical treatment of traumatic injuries of the lower extremity at 60 Level-I trauma centers across 7 multicenter, prospective clinical studies. Depending on the statistical approach used, the MCID associated with the overall sample ranged from 7.7 to 10.7 for the SMFA Dysfunction Index and from 11.0 to 16.8 for the SMFA Bother Index. For the Dysfunction Index, the variability across the scores was small (<5%) within the sex and age subgroups but was modest (12% to 18%) across subgroups related to assessment timing. CONCLUSIONS: A defensible MCID can be found between 7 and 11 points for the Dysfunction Index and between 11 and 17 points for the Bother Index. The precise choice of MCID may depend on the preferred statistical approach and the population under study. While differences exist between MCID values based on the calculation method, values were consistent across the categories of the various subgroups presented. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

A matched-pair cluster-randomized trial of guided care for high-risk older patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients at risk for generating high health care expenditures often receive fragmented, low-quality, inefficient health care. Guided Care is designed to provide proactive, coordinated, comprehensive care for such patients. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that Guided Care, compared to usual care, produces better functional health and quality of care, while reducing the use of expensive health services. DESIGN: 32-month, single-blind, matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial of Guided Care, conducted in eight community-based primary care practices. PATIENTS: The "Hierarchical Condition Category" (HCC) predictive model was used to identify high-risk older patients who were insured by fee-for-service Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan or Tricare. Patients with HCC scores in the highest quartile (at risk for generating high health care expenditures during the coming year) were eligible to participate. INTERVENTION: A registered nurse collaborated with two to five primary care physicians in providing eight services to participants: comprehensive assessment, evidence-based care planning, proactive monitoring, care coordination, transitional care, coaching for self-management, caregiver support, and access to community-based services. MAIN MEASURES: Functional health was measured using the Short Form-36. Quality of care and health services utilization were measured using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care and health insurance claims, respectively. KEY RESULTS: Of the eligible patients, 904 (37.8 %) gave written consent to participate; of these, 477 (52.8 %) completed the final interview, and 848 (93.8 %) provided complete claims data. In intention-to-treat analyses, Guided Care did not significantly improve participants' functional health, but it was associated with significantly higher participant ratings of the quality of care (difference = 0.27, 95 % CI = 0.08-0.45) and 29 % lower use of home care (95 % CI = 3-48 %). CONCLUSIONS: Guided Care improves high-risk older patients' ratings of the quality of their care, and it reduces their use of home care, but it does not appear to improve their functional health.

Do older patients and their family caregivers agree about the quality of chronic illness care?

OBJECTIVE: Family caregivers often accompany patients to medical visits; however, it is unclear whether caregivers rate the quality of patients' care similarly to patients. This study aimed to (1) quantify the level of agreement between patients' and caregivers' reports on the quality of patients' care and (2) determine how the level of agreement varies by caregiver and patient characteristics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Multimorbid older (aged 65 and above) adults and their family caregivers (n = 247). METHODS: Quality of care was rated separately by patients and their caregivers using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) instrument. The level of agreement was examined using a weighted kappa statistic (Kw). RESULTS: Agreement of caregivers' and patients' PACIC scores was low (Kw = 0.15). Patients taking ten or more medications per day showed less agreement with their caregivers about the quality of care than patients taking five or fewer medications (Kw = 0.03 and 0.34, respectively, P < 0.05). Caregivers who reported greater difficulty assisting patients with health care tasks had less agreement with patients about the quality of care being provided when compared with caregivers who reported no difficulty (Kw = -0.05 and 0.31, respectively, P < .05). Patient-caregiver dyads had greater agreement on objective questions than on subjective questions (Kw = 0.25 and 0.15, respectively, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patient-caregiver dyads following a more complex treatment plan (i.e. taking many medications) or having more difficulty following a treatment plan (i.e. having difficulty with health care tasks) had less agreement. Future qualitative research is needed to elucidate the underlying reasons patients and caregivers rate the quality of care differently.

Orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists differ regarding rehabilitative needs after lower extremity fracture repair.

BACKGROUND: Little evidence is available to guide physical therapy (PT) following lower extremity fracture repair distal to the hip. As such, variability has been reported in the way PT is utilized post-operatively. Examination of current practice by orthopedic surgeons (OS) and physical therapists is needed to inform clinical practice guidelines in this area. OBJECTIVE: To describe current PT referral practices among OS, identify patient and clinical factors that affect PT referral, and examine differences between OS and physical therapists with regard to visit frequency, duration, and use of specific PT interventions. METHODS: Provider surveys. RESULTS: Surveys were completed by 100 OS and 347 physical therapists. Over half (54%) of OS reported referring "most patients" to PT and identified joint stiffness and strength limitations as top reasons for PT referral. Over 80% of OS and physical therapists indicated that joint stiffness, strength limitations, and patients' functional goals affected their recommendations for PT visit frequency. More physical therapists than OS reported that pain severity (55% vs 25%, p < .001), maladaptive pain behaviors (64% vs. 33%, p < .001), and patient self-efficacy (70% vs. 49%, p = .003) affected their visit frequency recommendations. While OS recommended more frequent PT for patients with peri-articular fractures, fracture type had minimal impact on the visit frequencies recommended by physical therapists. CONCLUSION: OS and physical therapists consider similar physical impairments when determining the need for PT and visit frequencies, however, physical therapists consider pain and psychosocial factors more often, with OS focusing more on injury type.

What Are the Barriers to Incorporating Nutrition Interventions Into Care of Older Adults With Femoral Fragility Fractures?

Femoral fragility fractures cause substantial morbidity and mortality in older adults. Mortality has generally been approximated between 10-20% in the first year after fracture and among those who do survive, another 20-60% require assistance with basic activities within 1-2 years following fracture.1 Malnutrition is common and perpetuates these poor outcomes. Nutrition supplementation has potential to prevent post-injury malnutrition, preserve functional muscle mass, and improve outcomes in older adults with femoral fragility fractures, however high-quality evidence is lacking, thus limiting translation of interventions into clinical practice. This review article is designed to highlight gaps in the evidence investigating nutrition interventions in this population and identify barriers for translation to clinical practice. Our goal is to guide future nutrition intervention research in older adults with femoral fragility fractures. Level of Evidence: V.

Associations of Days Spent at Home Before Hip Fracture With Postfracture Days at Home and 1-Year Mortality Among Medicare Beneficiaries Living With Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementias.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture is a disabling event experienced disproportionately by older adults with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD). Claims information recorded prior to a hip fracture could provide valuable insights into recovery potential for these patients. Thus, our objective was to identify distinct trajectories of claims-based days at home (DAH) before a hip fracture among older adults with ADRD and evaluate associations with postfracture DAH and 1-year mortality. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study of 16 576 Medicare beneficiaries living with ADRD who experienced hip fracture between 2010 and 2017. Growth mixture modeling was used to estimate trajectories of DAH assessed from 180 days prior to fracture until index fracture admission, and their joint associations with postfracture DAH trajectories and 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Before a hip fracture, a model with 3 distinct latent DAH trajectories was the best fit. Trajectories were characterized based on their temporal patterns as Consistently High (n = 14 980, 90.3%), Low but Increasing (n = 809, 5.3%), or Low and Decreasing (n = 787, 4.7%). Membership in the Low and Decreasing prefracture DAH trajectory was associated with less favorable postfracture DAH trajectories, and a 65% higher 1-year mortality rate (hazard ratio 1.65, 95% confidence interval 1.45-1.87) as compared to those in the Consistently High trajectory. Similar albeit weaker associations with these outcomes were observed for hip fracture survivors in the Low but Improving prefracture DAH trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct prefracture DAH trajectories among hip fracture survivors with ADRD are strongly linked to postfracture DAH and 1-year mortality, which could guide development of tailored interventions.

Substantial Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass Occurs After Femoral Fragility Fracture.

BACKGROUND: Femoral fragility fractures in older adults can result in devastating loss of physical function and independence. Skeletal muscle atrophy likely contributes to disability. The purpose of this study was to characterize the change in skeletal muscle mass, investigate the relationship with malnutrition and physical function, and identify risk factors for skeletal muscle loss. METHODS: Adults ≥65 years of age who were treated with operative fixation of an isolated femoral fragility fracture were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective observational study. Skeletal muscle mass was assessed within 72 hours of admission using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, which was repeated at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Sarcopenia was defined by sex-specific cutoffs for the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. The Mini Nutritional Assessment was used to measure nutritional status at the time of injury. Physical function was measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function domain. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate changes in skeletal muscle mass and PROMIS Physical Function scores over time and to evaluate factors associated with skeletal muscle mass changes. RESULTS: Ninety participants (74% female) with a mean age of 77.6 ± 9.0 years were enrolled. At the time of injury, 30 (33%) were sarcopenic and 44 (49%) were at risk for malnutrition or had malnutrition. Older age was associated with lower skeletal muscle mass (age of ≥75 versus <75 years: least squares mean [and standard error], -3.3 ± 1.6 kg; p = 0.042). From the time of injury to 6 weeks, participants lost an average of 2.4 kg (9%) of skeletal muscle mass (95% confidence interval [CI] = ‒3.0 to ‒1.8 kg; p < 0.001). This early loss did not recover by 6 months (1.8 kg persistent loss compared with baseline [95% CI = ‒2.5 to ‒1.1 kg]; p < 0.001). Participants with normal nutritional status lost more skeletal muscle mass from baseline to 6 weeks after injury compared with those with malnutrition (1.3 kg more loss [standard error, 0.6 kg]; p = 0.036). A 1-kg decrease in skeletal muscle mass was associated with an 8-point decrease in the PROMIS Physical Function (model parameter estimate, 0.12 [standard error, 0.04]; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We found that older adults with femoral fragility fractures lost substantial skeletal muscle mass and physical function. Participants with adequate baseline nutrition actually lost more muscle mass than those who were malnourished, indicating that future investigations of interventions to prevent muscle loss should focus on older adults regardless of nutritional status. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.