Frailty, post-operative delirium and functional status at discharge in patients with hip fracture.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of frailty, alone and in combination with post-operative delirium (POD), on the risk of poor function at discharge in patients with hip fracture (HF). METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study of patients with HF admitted to an Orthogeriatric Unit (OGU) between October 1, 2011 and March 15, 2019. POD was assessed using the 4AT and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5-edition criteria. A 22-items Frailty Index (FI) was created using the data collected on admission. The outcome measure was the Cumulated Ambulation Score (CAS) score at discharge. A log-binomial regression model was used to assess the effect of frailty and POD on CAS. RESULTS: A total of 988 patients (median age = 84.9 years, Interquartile range = 80.6-89.2) were included: 360 patients (36.4%) were frail and 411 (42%) developed POD. Poor functional status at discharge (CAS score ≤2) was more common in frail than non-frail patients (68.3% vs. 53.8%, p < 0.001) In a regression adjusted for confounders, frailty alone (Relative Risk, RR = 1.33, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI = 1.14-1.55) and POD alone (RR 1.38, 95% CI = 1.2-1.59) were associated with poor functional status at discharge; when combined, frailty and POD had an interaction, yielding a mild increase in the risk of poor outcome (RR 1.47, 95% CI = 1.28-1.69). CONCLUSIONS: In older patients undergoing HF surgery, frailty, POD and their combination, are associated with poor functional status at discharge.

Three-year National report from the Gruppo Italiano di Ortogeriatria (GIOG) in the management of hip-fractured patients.

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures (HF) are a major issue worldwide. We aimed at evaluating the practices in delivering care to patients with HF among several Italian Orthogeriatric centers. METHODS: The study took place from February 2016 to July 2018. Seven performance indicators (pre-surgical cognitive assessment, surgery performed ≤ 48 h from fracture, removal of urinary catheter/absence of delirium/start of physiotherapy on the first post-operative day, prescription of bone protection at discharge, and discharge toward rehabilitation) were collected. RESULTS: The 14 participating hospitals totally recruited 3.017 patients. Patients were old (median age 86 years; Inter Quartile Range [IQR] 80-90), mostly females (77%). Nearly 55% of them were already impaired in mobility and about 10% were nursing home residents. Median time-to-surgery was 41 h (IQR 23-62). Models of care greatly varied among centers, only 49.3% of patients being co-managed by geriatricians and orthopedics. There was high variability across centers in four indicators ("pre-surgical cognitive assessment", "bone protection prescription", "use of urinary catheter" and "start of physiotherapy"), moderate in two indicators ("surgery performed ≤ 48 h from fracture" and "discharge toward rehabilitation" and low in one ("absence of delirium on day following surgery"). Comparison with international studies suggests very different ways of providing care to HF Italian patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest high inter-center variability in the key-performance indicators, and different approaches in providing care to our HF patients in comparison to other countries. A National debate on the topic is required in Italy to harmonize practices of orthogeriatric care.

The impact of psychomotor subtypes and duration of delirium on 6-month mortality in hip-fractured elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: Studies exploring the incidence and impact of the psychomotor subtypes of postoperative delirium (POD) on the survival of hip fracture patients are few, and results are inconsistent. We sought to assess the incidence of POD subtypes and their impact, in addition to delirium duration, on 6-month mortality in older patients after hip-fracture surgery. METHODS: This is a prospective study involving 571 individuals admitted to an Orthogeriatric Unit within a 5-year period with a diagnosis of hip fracture. Survival status was assessed 6 months after posthip fracture surgery. Postoperative delirium was diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Postoperative delirium subtypes were classified according to Lipowski's criteria. Cox regressions were used to evaluate the associations between POD subtypes, POD duration, and 6-month mortality, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The incidence of psychomotor POD subtypes was hypoactive 57 (10.0%), hyperactive 84 (14.7%), and mixed 79 (13.8%). Six-month mortality rates were 8.3%, 10.7%, 36.8%, and 29.1% in the no-delirium, hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed-delirium subgroups, respectively. In adjusted models, the hypoactive subgroup (Hazard Ratio, HR = 3.14, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI, 1.63-6.04) and mixed subgroup (HR = 2.89, 95% CI, 1.49-5.62) showed high mortality rates and a significantly increased risk of mortality associated with POD duration as well. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperactive delirium was the most common POD psychomotor subtype, but hypoactive and mixed POD were associated with 6-month mortality risk. Moreover, the risk of death 6 months after surgery increased for both subgroups (hypoactive and mixed) with increasing duration of POD.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in an 81-year-old woman after injection of bone cement during hemiarthroplasty: An orthogeriatric case report.

INTRODUCTION: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a syndrome characterized by transient cardiac ischemia-like symptoms, such as chest pain, increase of myocardial necrosis markers, electrocardiographic changes, and temporary left ventricular apical ballooning without significant coronary artery disease, often triggered by a particularly stressful situation. The association between Takotsubo and hip fracture surgery has been rarely reported in the literature. PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 81-year-old woman was hospitalized with a diagnosis of right femoral neck fracture. During the surgical procedure, she displayed acute coronary symptoms a few minutes after the injection of bone cement, in the absence of coronary lesions. Due to the time relationship, bone cement implantation syndrome - not uncommon to observe - was considered in the differential diagnosis. However, the instrumental findings and the transient nature of the abnormalities guided us toward a diagnosis of Takotsubo. The treatment with Levosimendan, Amiodarone, and Metoprolol allowed gradual and satisfactory recovery of the cardiac function within a few days. The follow-up performed two and six months after surgery revealed complete cardiac recovery, and ability to walk at home comparable to the pre-fracture situation. DISCUSSION: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is more common in women during the postmenopausal phase, especially if undergoing stressful physical or emotional stimuli. In this case, the sequence of hip fracture, pain, hospitalization, and surgery could easily be intended as a strong stressful event with high physical/psychological burden. CONCLUSION: Despite the good prognosis associated with early recognition, Takotsubo represents a life-threatening adverse event. Considering its possible pathogenesis, a "gentle care" approach and the optimization of pain control must be pursued in elderly subjects with hip fracture, aiming at reducing the stress of the hospitalization and related procedures.

Postoperative delirium and pre-fracture disability predict 6-month mortality among the oldest old hip fracture patients.

BACKGROUND: Age is one of the most robust risk factors for hip fracture. Recent projections indicate that almost half of hip fractures are occurring with an increasing trend among the "oldest old" (i.e., in those aged >85 years). AIMS: To compare clinical characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for 6-month mortality in two groups of "oldest old" patients (group 1 = 85-89, group 2 > 90 years), after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: Observational prospective cohort study with 6-month follow-up, performed in an Orthogeriatric Unit of an academic hospital between March 2007 and November 2012. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-five patients (group 1: N = 171; group 2: N = 104) underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, including demographics, clinical, functional, nutritional, and mental status. The 6-month rehospitalization and mortality rates after surgery were assessed through structured telephone interviews with patient's caregivers. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate predictors of 6-month mortality, adjusting for relevant covariates. Fifty-eight patients died at follow-up. The in-hospital and 6-month mortality rates were significantly higher for patients of group 2 than for those of group 1. After adjusting for covariates, the multivariate logistic regressions showed that severe disability (OR 2.24, 95 % CI 1.08-4.65) and postoperative delirium (POD) (OR 3.80, 95 % CI 1.72-8.39) were predictors of 6-month mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients aged >90 years who underwent hip fracture surgery are more likely to die at 6 months than those aged 85-89 years. Pre-fracture disability and POD are predictors of this excess of mortality.

Duration of postoperative delirium is an independent predictor of 6-month mortality in older adults after hip fracture.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between number of days with delirium and 6-month mortality in elderly adults after hip fracture surgery. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with 6-month follow-up. SETTING: Orthogeriatric Unit (OGU). PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (mean age = 84.3 ± 6.4) admitted to the OGU between October 2011 and April 2013 with hip fracture (N = 199). MEASUREMENTS: Postoperative delirium (POD) was assessed daily using the Confusion Assessment Method algorithm and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association between POD of and 6-month mortality after surgery, after adjustment for covariates including age, prefracture residence, Katz activity of daily living score, New Mobility score, diagnosis of prefracture dementia, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, albumin serum levels, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and length of OGU stay. RESULTS: Fifty-seven participants (28.6%) developed POD. In the 6-month period after surgery, 35 (17.6%) participants died: 16 of 57 (28.1%) with POD and 19/ of 142 (13.4%) with no POD. The average duration of POD was 2.0 ± 3.2 days for participants who died and 0.7 ± 1.8 days for those who survived (P < .001). After adjusting for covariates, each day of POD in the OGU increased the hazard of dying at 6 months by 17% (hazard ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.28). CONCLUSION: In older adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, duration of POD is an important prognostic factor for 6-month mortality. Efforts to reduce duration of POD are therefore crucial for these individuals.

The combined effect of ADL impairment and delay in time from fracture to surgery on 12-month mortality: an observational study in orthogeriatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Delayed surgery (ie, >48 hours from arrival in hospital) and pre-fracture disability are thought to be long-term risk factors for mortality in patients with hip fracture (HF). However, the combined effect on mortality of these two conditions has not been satisfactorily assessed in previous studies. OBJECTIVE: To assess the combined effect of pre-fracture disability and delayed surgery on 12-month mortality in a population of elderly patients after HF surgical treatment. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study with 12-month follow-up. SETTING: An orthogeriatric unit (OGU) in a university hospital in Italy. METHODS: All patients (n = 390) admitted to an OGU from March 2007 to December 2010 who underwent proximal HF surgery and who were not transferred to other hospitals were considered for the analyses. Pre-fracture disability was defined as having an impairment in more than one activity of daily living (ADL). The 12-month mortality was assessed by a Kaplan-Meyer analysis and by a Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for relevant potential confounders. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, patients with both delayed surgery and pre-fracture disability had a significantly higher 12-month mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.11-15.92) than patients with neither delayed surgery nor disability (reference group). Patients with disability but not delayed surgery had a nearly 4-fold increased mortality risk (HR, 3.98; 95% CI 1.41-11.27) than patients in the reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with both pre-fracture disability and delayed HF surgical treatment had a nearly six-fold increased 12-month mortality risk than did patients with neither disability nor delayed surgery.

A polar diagram for comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment has become synonymous with geriatric practice. This includes evaluation of the older person's physical and mental health, and the functional and social status. We propose a new way of representing a person's condition, called the "polar diagram". This shows the subject's scores on the evaluation scales that are arranged in radial positions inside a circle. The outer part of the circle corresponds to the best condition. Gaps between the best condition and the actual scores are easily identified. The diagram can be employed to monitor the subject's condition and to assess any changes in outcomes.