A 2-year follow-up of a novel Fracture Liaison Service: can we reduce the mortality in elderly hip fracture patients? A prospective cohort study.

Osteoporosis is an underdiagnosed disease that results in bone fragility and risk of fractures. Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) is a secondary prevention model which identifies patients at risk for fragility fractures. The introduction of a FLS protocol showed an increase of anti-osteoporotic drug prescription and significant reduction of all-cause mortality. INTRODUCTION: Hip fractures are the most severe osteoporotic fracture due to their associated disability and elevated risk of mortality. FLS programs have enhanced the management of osteoporosis-related fractures. Our objective is to analyze the effect of the FLS model over survival and 2-year mortality rate following a hip fracture. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study on patients over 60 years of age who suffered a hip fracture during 3 consecutive years, before and after the implementation of the FLS in our center (i.e., between January 2016 and December 2018). Patients' information was withdrawn from our local computerized database. Patients were followed for 2 years after the hip fracture. Mortality and re-fracture rates were compared between the two groups using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 1101 patients were included in this study (i.e., 357 before FLS implementation and 744 after FLS implementation). Anti-osteoporotic drugs were more frequently prescribed after FLS implementation (583 (78.4%) vs 44 (12.3%); p < 0.01). There was an increase of adherence to treatment after FLS implementation (227 (38.9%) vs 12 (3.3%); p = 0.03). A total of 222 (29.8%) patients after FLS implementation and 114 (31.9%) individuals before FLS implementation (p = 0.44) died during the follow-up period. A second fracture occurred in 49 (6.6%) patients after FLS implementation and in 26 (7.3%) individuals before FLS implementation (p = 0.65). Patients who were treated with anti-osteoporotic drugs after the implementation of the FLS protocol had a lower all-cause 1-year and 2-year mortality compared with patients managed before the implementation of the FLS protocol (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59-0.96; HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.69-1.09, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a FLS protocol was associated with an increase of anti-osteoporotic treatment, higher adherence, and greater survival in elderly hip fracture patients. There was a significant reduction of all-cause mortality in the FLS patients treated with anti-osteoporotic. However, the application of the FLS did not affect the risk of suffering a second fragility fracture.

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures: Primary or delayed after failed treatment?

BACKGROUND: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has recently become an option for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) or as a salvage procedure after failure of another treatment. The purpose of this study was to compare primary RTSA with delayed RTSA in the treatment of displaced PHFs. STUDY DESIGN & METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with PHFs who were treated between May 2013 and December 2021 with primary or delayed RTSA after failure of conservative treatment or osteosynthesis. Clinical data were withdrawn from our local computerized database. Complications, active range of motion, as well as the functional outcome were recorded at the end of the follow-up period. Differences between clinical outcomes were analyzed using a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 70 individuals were included in this study (41 primary RTSA and 29 delayed RTSA). The mean of follow-up time was of 112 and 60 months, respectively. There were no differences between groups regarding fracture type according Neer Classification, ASA score or the presence of complications. Q-DASH and Oxford Shoulder scores were significantly better when patients underwent a primary RTSA (49.8 vs 31.4, p = 0.006 and 37.2 vs 27.5, p = 0.004 respectively). In addition, primary RTSA achieved more degrees of flexion and abduction than delayed RTSA (96.8 vs 72.9, p < 0.001 and 94.1 vs 69.3, p < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: Primary RTSA for PHFs achieved better functional outcomes and a wider range of motion when compared with delayed RTSA. However, primary and delayed RTSA have similar complication and reintervention rates. LEVEL OF CLINICAL EVIDENCE: 3.

[Translated article] Oligometastases in oncological orthopaedic surgery. Our experience.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the incidence and survival of patients with oligometastases (solitary and normal) when they are treated in centres that are experts in multidisciplinary approach to patients with sarcoma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 414 patients with bone metastases secondary to carcinomas at Hospital Universitario La Paz and Hospital MD Anderson Cancer Centre (Madrid) between May 2006 and May 2019. Metastases located in the pelvis and axial skeleton were excluded, analyzing a total of 28 patients who met the criterion for solitary metastases or oligometastases with normal criteria. The study survival estimate was carried out following the Kaplan-Meier statistical method. RESULTS: The survival of the patients following the oligometastases criteria (solitary and normal) was 53%. Breast cancer was the most prevalent and had a survival rate of more than 70%. The average age of the patients was 58 years old. DISCUSSION: Systemic treatments in cancer treatment have managed to improve disease-free survival curves and lead us to redirect on the paradigm for the treatment of oligometastases, stating that treatment should be carried out in the centres that are experts in the treatment of sarcomas. CONCLUSIONS: The choice of surgical treatment for patients with oligometastases in the strict sense (solitary) and normal should be evaluated by multidisciplinary teams according to the prognoses of the patient, anatomical location and histotype of the neoplasm.