Prognostic factors and predictive model for in-hospital mortality following hip fractures in the elderly.

PURPOSE: The incidence of hip fractures is increasing within the aging population. Our objective was to identify and quantify the risk factors and develop a predictive model for the in-hospital mortality among hip fracture patients older than 65 years. METHODS: This is a prospective study conducted on 331 hip fracture patients older than 65 years admitted to our hospital from 2011 to 2014. Patients' demographics, prehospitalization residential status, prefracture comorbidity data, anti-aggregant and anticoagulant medication, preoperative hemoglobin value, type of fractures, type of treatments, time to surgery, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: The average age was 83 years, 73% female, and 57% of them sustained a femoral neck fracture. In 62.8% of patients, the number of pre-fracture baseline comorbidities was ≥2. The in-hospital mortality rate was 11.4%. In multivariate analysis, age over 90 years, congestive heart failure, asthma, rheumatologic disease, lung cancer, and not taking antiaggregant medication were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. A formula and risk stratification scoring for predicting the risk for in-hospital mortality was developed. Risk-adjustment model based on these variables had acceptable accuracy for predicting in-hospital mortality (c-statistic 0.77). CONCLUSION: Advanced age, and five prefracture comorbidities have a strong association with in-hospital mortality in a hip fracture patient older than 65 years old. Our predictive model was specifically designed for the old hip fracture population. It has an accuracy similar to other risk models. The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value are high. In addition, it could discriminate a high risk patient from a low risk patient for in-hospital mortality.

Risk factors for in-hospital mortality following hip fracture. / Factores de riesgo de mortalidad intrahospitalaria en la fractura proximal de fémur.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients older than 65 years with a hip fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. We studied a cohort of 331 hip fracture patients older than 65 years of age admitted to our hospital from 2011 to 2014. Patients demographics, type of residence, physical function, mobility, prefracture comorbidities data, cognitive status, anti-aggregant and anticoagulant medication, preoperative haemoglobin value, type of fracture, type of treatment, surgical delay, and complications, were recorded. RESULTS: The average age was 83, 73% female, and 57% had sustained a subcapital fracture. In 62.8% pre-fracture baseline co-morbidities were equal or greater than 2. The in-hospital mortality rate was 11.4%. In univariate analysis, age over 90, male gender, haemoglobin ≤ 10g/dl, no antiplatelet agents, orthopaedic treatment, number of co-morbidities≥2, Charlson index≥2, age-adjusted Charlson index≥6, congestive heart failure, asthma, rheumatologic disease, were associated with in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative patient-related factors have a strong relationship with in-hospital mortality in a hip fracture patients aged older than 65 years. These factors are non-modifiable; we recommend the development of protocols to reduce in-hospital mortality in this group of patients.

Risk-factors for surgical delay following hip fracture. / Factores de riesgo para la demora quirúrgica en la fractura de cadera.

OBJECTIVE: To identify pre-operative risk factors for surgical delay of more than 2 days after admission in patients older than 65 years with a hip fracture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted on 180 hip fractures in patients older than 65 years of age admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to April 2016. The data recorded included, patient demographics, day of admission, pre-fracture comorbidities, mental state, level of mobility and physical function, type of fracture, antiaggregant and anticoagulant medication, pre-operative haemoglobin value, type of treatment, and surgical delay. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 83.7 years. The mean Charlson Index was 2.8. The pre-fracture baseline co-morbidities were equal or greater than 2 in 70% of cases. Mean timing of surgery was 3.1 days. At the time of admission, 122 (67.7%) patients were fit for surgery, of which 80 (44.4%) underwent surgery within 2 days. A Charlson index greater than 2, anticoagulant therapy, and admission on Thursday to Saturday, were independently associated with a surgical delay greater than 2 days. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of hip fracture patients undergoing surgery within 2 days is low. Risk factors associated to surgical delay are non-modifiable. However, their knowledge should allow the development of protocols that can reduce surgical delay in this group of patients.

[Single intravenous tranexamic acid dose to reduce blood loss in primary total knee replacement]. / Dosis única intravenosa de ácido tranexámico como medida de ahorro transfusional en prótesis total primaria de rodilla.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a single intravenous dose of tranexamic acid in order to reduce blood loss in total knee replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective observational study of the administration of tranexamic acid in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty from November 2013 to February 2015, in which an autologous blood recovery system was used. The study included 98 patients, distributed into two groups of 49 patients according to whether or not they received intravenous tranexamic acid. The primary endpoint was the number of patients requiring autologous transfusion from the recovery system autologous blood recovery system. RESULTS: No drop-outs were recorded during follow-up. There were no significant differences between groups as regards the preoperative and hospital variables. The mean preoperative haemoglobin and haematocrit at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively were similar in both groups. The average volume of bleeding in the autologous blood recovery system and estimated average blood loss was lower in patients who had been administered tranexamic acid, with significant differences. No patients in the group that was administered tranexamic acid required blood autotransfusion. The transfusion rate was zero in the two groups. No adverse events related to the administration of tranexamic acid were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous administration of tranexamic acid, according to the described protocol, has presented a non-autotransfusion or allo-transfusion rate of 100%, with no increased incidence of thrombotic events. Thus, its use in this group of patients is recommended. The indication should be individualized, its use justified in the patient medical records, and informed consent is mandatory.

Percepción de la enfermedad de Dupuytren por los tribunales sociales / Valuation of Dupuytren´s diseade by labor courts

Objetivo: Analizar la consideración que la enfermedad de Dupuytren tiene en los tribunales de lo social. Pacientes y metodología: Se analizaron las 47 sentencias de los Tribunales Superiores de Justicia y Tribunal Supremo, en las que se mencionaba la enfermedad de Dupuytren, durante el periodo 1999-2009. Resultados: No existía homogeneidad de criterio, ni en el juzgador ni en los peritos médicos, para la valoración médica de la enfermedad y la calificación de la discapacidad que presenta. Fueron en las profesiones manuales donde se reclamaron las incapacidades y más frecuentemente en aquellas que manipulaban herramientas, siendo la afectación bimanual la que daba a mayor número de reclamaciones. Los dedos afectados fueron el 3º, 4º y 5º siendo la presentación en más de un dedo, elemento favorable para la declaración de incapacidad, con independencia de los tratamientos pasados o futuros. Conclusiones: La valoración médica de la incapacidad laboral debe contemplar la profesión, la mano afectada, la ocupación de la palma de la mano por la flexión de uno o varios dedos y la recidiva de la enfermedad (AU)

Objective: To analyze how Dupuytren's disease is considered on the labor courts. Pacients and methods: Patients and methods: 47 judgments of the High Courts and Supreme Court during the period 1999-2009 were analized. The condition to be included in the study was to mention Dupuytren´s disease. Results: Judges and medical experts did not agreed to evaluate the disease and to classify patient´s disability. Manual occupation was the most frequent activity where disability was claimed, especially those which handled tools. The involvement of both hands gave the greatest number of claims. The fingers most frequently affected were 3rd, 4th and 5th and more than one finger injured was a favorable element to declare incapacity. This was independent of past or future treatments. Conclusions: Medical assessment of incapacity should include the occupation, the affected hand, finger contracture severity and recurrence of the disease (AU)