Hip fractures are common in old age and have a significant impact, both on the older patients as on society in general. This thesis shows that daily functioning of older people with a hip fracture... Show moreHip fractures are common in old age and have a significant impact, both on the older patients as on society in general. This thesis shows that daily functioning of older people with a hip fracture already deteriorates before their fracture, with a larger pre-fracture decline in and lowerpre-fracture level of daily functioning as compared to age-related peers. Picking up the decline in daily functioning before a hip fracture for individual patients is notpossible yet, as it is not measured routinely in clinical practice and, as this thesis show, there is currently also no other way to extract daily functioning from routine care data. However, the last pre-fracture daily functioning level, which can often be reconstructed at the time of fracture, is informative on its own for post-fracture recovery potential.In any case, a hip fracture is a signal of ongoing decline, which can warn clinicians that their patient is in a trajectory of decline and thus expectations of recoveryshould be adjusted correspondingly. When measuring this recovery in daily functioning, researchers and clinicians should be aware that (I)ADL questionnaires hardly correspond with self-perceived functioning of older people and are not so sensitive to small but (for older people) relevant changes. Thus, (I)ADL questionnaires alone are not enough to measure post-fracture recovery. Show less
This thesis includes studies on how to measure and improve the quality of care for hip fracture patients in The Netherlands. Several determinants of quality of care such as treatment and outcomes... Show moreThis thesis includes studies on how to measure and improve the quality of care for hip fracture patients in The Netherlands. Several determinants of quality of care such as treatment and outcomes are studied, as well as the maturation of the Dutch Hip Fracture Audit (DHFA); a quality of care registry including all adult patients suffering a hip fracture in The Netherlands. Show less
Summary: Impact of comorbidity on infection risk among hip fracture patients is unclear. We found high incidence of infection. Comorbidity was an important risk factor for infection up to 1 year... Show moreSummary: Impact of comorbidity on infection risk among hip fracture patients is unclear. We found high incidence of infection. Comorbidity was an important risk factor for infection up to 1 year after surgery. Results indicates a need for additional investment in pre- and postoperative programs that assist patients with high comorbidity. Purpose: Comorbidity level and incidence of infection have increased among older patients with hip fracture. The impact of comorbidity on infection risk is unclear. We conducted a cohort study examining the absolute and relative risks of infection in relation to comorbidity level among hip fracture patients. Methods: Utilizing Danish population-based medical registries, we identified 92,600 patients aged >= 65 years undergoing hip fracture surgery between 2004 and 2018. Comorbidity was categorized by Charlson comorbidity index scores (CCI): none (CCI = 0), moderate (CCI = 1-2), or severe (CCI >= 3). Primary outcome was any hospital-treated infection. Secondary outcomes were hospital-treated pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, reoperation due to surgical-site infection (SSI), and a composite of any hospital- or community-treated infection. We calculated cumulative incidence and hazard ratios (aHRs) adjusted for age, sex, and surgery year, including 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Prevalence of moderate and severe comorbidity was 40% and 19%, respectively. Incidence of any hospital-treated infection increased with comorbidity level within 0-30 days (none 13% vs. severe 20%) and 0-365 days (none 22% vs. 37% severe). Patients with moderate and severe comorbidity, compared to no comorbidity, had aHRs of 1.3 (CI: 1.3-1.4) and 1.6 (CI: 1.5-1.7) within 0-30 days, and 1.4 (CI: 1.4-1.5) and 1.9 (CI: 1.9-2.0) within 0-365, respectively. Highest incidence was observed for any hospital- or community-treated infection (severe 72%) within 0-365 days. Highest aHR was observed for sepsis within 0-365 days (severe vs. none: 2.7 (CI: 2.4-2.9)). Conclusion: Comorbidity is an important risk factor for infection up to 1 year after hip fracture surgery. Show less
BackgroundMortality following hip fracture is high and incompletely understood. We hypothesize that hip musculature size and quality are related to mortality following hip fracture. This study aims... Show moreBackgroundMortality following hip fracture is high and incompletely understood. We hypothesize that hip musculature size and quality are related to mortality following hip fracture. This study aims to investigate the associations of hip muscle area and density from hip CT with death following hip fracture as well as assess the dependence of this association on time after hip fracture. MethodsIn this secondary analysis of the prospectively collected CT images and data from the Chinese Second Hip Fracture Evaluation, 459 patients were enrolled between May 2015 and June 2016 and followed up for a median of 4.5 years. Muscle cross-sectional area and density were measured of the gluteus maximus (G.MaxM) and gluteus medius and minimus (G.Med/MinM) and aBMD of the proximal femur. The Goutallier classification (GC) was used for qualitatively assessing muscle fat infiltration. Separate Cox models were used to predict mortality risk adjusted for covariates. ResultsAt the end of the follow-up, 85 patients were lost, 81 patients (64% women) had died, and 293 (71% women) survived. The mean age of non-surviving patients at death (82.0 +/- 8.1 years) was higher than that of the surviving patients (74.4 +/- 9.9 years). The Parker Mobility Score and the American Society of Anesthesiologists scores of the patients that died were respectively lower and higher compared to the surviving patients. Hip fracture patients received different surgical procedures, and no significant difference in the percentage of hip arthroplasty was observed between the dead and the surviving patients (P = 0.11). The cumulative survival was significantly lower for patients with low G.MaxM area and density and low G.Med/MinM density, independent of age and clinical risk scores. The GC grades were not associated with the mortality after hip fracture. Muscle density of both G.MaxM (adj. HR 1.83; 95% CI, 1.06-3.17) and G.Med/MinM (adj. HR 1.98; 95% CI, 1.14-3.46) was associated with mortality in the 1st year after hip fracture. G.MaxM area (adj. HR 2.11; 95% CI, 1.08-4.14) was associated with mortality in the 2nd and later years after hip fracture. ConclusionOur results for the first time show that hip muscle size and density are associated with mortality in older hip fracture patients, independent of age and clinical risk scores. This is an important finding to better understand the factors contributing to the high mortality in older hip fracture patients and to develop better future risk prediction scores that include muscle parameters. Show less
Dijkstra, H.; Oosterhoff, J.H.F.; Kuit, A. van de; Ijpma, F.F.A.; Schwab, J.H.; Poolman, R.W.; ... ; Hendrickx, L.A.M. 2023
Aims To develop prediction models using machine-learning (ML) algorithms for 90 -day and oneyear mortality prediction in femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients aged 50 years or older based on the Hip... Show moreAims To develop prediction models using machine-learning (ML) algorithms for 90 -day and oneyear mortality prediction in femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients aged 50 years or older based on the Hip fracture Evaluation with Alternatives of Total Hip arthroplasty versus Hemiarthroplasty (HEALTH) and Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trials.Methods This study included 2,388 patients from the HEALTH and FAITH trials, with 90 -day and oneyear mortality proportions of 3.0% (71/2,388) and 6.4% (153/2,388), respectively. The mean age was 75.9 years (SD 10.8) and 65.9% of patients (1,574/2,388) were female. The algorithms included patient and injury characteristics. Six algorithms were developed, internally validated and evaluated across discrimination (c-statistic; discriminative ability between those with risk of mortality and those without), calibration (observed outcome compared to the predicted probability), and the Brier score (composite of discrimination and calibration).Results The developed algorithms distinguished between patients at high and low risk for 90 -day and one -year mortality. The penalized logistic regression algorithm had the best performance metrics for both 90 -day (c-statistic 0.80, calibration slope 0.95, calibration intercept-0.06, and Brier score 0.039) and one -year (c-statistic 0.76, calibration slope 0.86, calibration intercept-0.20, and Brier score 0.074) mortality prediction in the hold -out set.Conclusion Using high-quality data, the ML -based prediction models accurately predicted 90 -day and one -year mortality in patients aged 50 years or older with a FNF. The final models must be externally validated to assess generalizability to other populations, and prospectively evaluated in the process of shared decision-making. Show less
Fear of falling (FoF) after hip fracture is highly prevalent, and has been associated with diminished functional recovery. A treatment program for FoF after hip fracture was developed, for the... Show moreFear of falling (FoF) after hip fracture is highly prevalent, and has been associated with diminished functional recovery. A treatment program for FoF after hip fracture was developed, for the inpatient geriatric rehabilitation setting (the FIT-HIP intervention, a multi-component cognitive behavioral intervention).The first studies of this thesis evaluated the effects and feasibility of the FIT-HIP intervention. Also, coping strategies used by patients with FoF were explored. The final study in this thesis evaluated the long-term course of FoF after fracture.The FIT-HIP intervention was not effective to reduce FoF and improve functional recovery after hip fracture. The (early) timing of the intervention, and a limited level of FoF may have contributed to the lack of treatment effect. Possibly not all FoF that is present very shortly after hip fracture (<6 weeks) is dysfunctional. However, approximately a quarter of all patients with hip fracture have FoF that persists up to 12 weeks (and often hereafter). This group has high levels of FoF, and may thus be prone to the negative effects of FoF (maladaptive FoF). An appropriate selection of the target group remains a challenge. This thesis provides recommendations for the management of FoF, including suggestions for the selection procedure. Show less
PurposeEvidence for a hospital volume-outcome relationship in hip fracture surgery is inconclusive. This study aimed to analyze the association between hospital volume as a continuous parameter and... Show morePurposeEvidence for a hospital volume-outcome relationship in hip fracture surgery is inconclusive. This study aimed to analyze the association between hospital volume as a continuous parameter and several processes and outcomes of hip fracture care.MethodsAdult patients registered in the nationwide Dutch Hip Fracture Audit (DHFA) between 2018 and 2020 were included. The association between annual hospital volume and turnaround times (time on the emergency ward, surgery < 48 h and length of stay), orthogeriatric co-treatment and case-mix adjusted in-hospital and 30 days mortality was evaluated with generalized linear mixed models with random effects for hospital and treatment year. We used a fifth-degree polynomial to allow for nonlinear effects of hospital volume. P-values were adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Bonferoni method.ResultsIn total, 43,258 patients from 68 hospitals were included. The median annual hospital volume was 202 patients [range 1-546]. Baseline characteristics did not differ with hospital volume. Provision of orthogeriatric co-treatment improved with higher volumes but decreased at > 367 patients per year (p < 0.01). Hospital volume was not significantly associated with mortality outcomes. No evident clinical relation between hospital volume and turnaround times was found.ConclusionThis is the first study analyzing the effect of hospital volume on hip fracture care, treating volume as a continuous parameter. Mortality and turnaround times showed no clinically relevant association with hospital volume. The provision of orthogeriatric co-treatment, however, increased with increasing volumes up to 367 patients per year, but decreased above this threshold. Future research on the effect of volume on complications and functional outcomes is indicated. Show less
Summary: Additional variables for a nationwide hip fracture registry must be carefully chosen to prevent unnecessary registry load. A registry pilot in seven hospitals resulted in recommending... Show moreSummary: Additional variables for a nationwide hip fracture registry must be carefully chosen to prevent unnecessary registry load. A registry pilot in seven hospitals resulted in recommending polypharmacy, serum hemoglobin at admittance, and questions screening for risk of delirium to be used in case-mix correction and for development of quality indicators. Purpose: Clinical registries help improve the quality of care but come at the cost of registration load. Datasets should therefore be as compact as possible; however, variables are usually chosen empirically. This study aims to evaluate potential variables with additional value to improve the nationwide Dutch Hip Fracture Audit (DHFA). Methods: An expert panel selected eleven new variables for the DHFA, which were tested in a prospective cohort of all hip fracture patients treated in 2018 and 2019 in seven pilot hospitals participating in the DHFA. The association of these eleven variables with complications, mortality, and functional outcomes at 3 months was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Based on the results, a proposal for variables to add to the dataset of the DHFA was made. Results: In 4.904 analyzed patients, three tested variables had significant associations (p < 0.01) with outcomes: polypharmacy with complications (aOR 1.34), serum hemoglobin at admittance with complications (aOR 0.63) and mortality (aOR for 30-day mortality 0.78), and a set of questions screening for risk of delirium with complications in general (aOR 1.55), e.g., delirium (aOR 2.98), and decreased functional scores at three months (aOR 1.98). Conclusion: This study assesses potential new variables for a hip fracture registry. Based on the results of this study, we recommend polypharmacy, serum hemoglobin at admittance, and questions screening for risk of delirium to be used in case-mix correction and for the development of quality indicators. Incorporating these variables in the DHFA dataset may contribute to better and clinically relevant quality indicators. Show less
Nemeth, B.; Kaaij, M. van der; Nelissen, R.; Wijnen, J.K. van; Drost, K.; Blauw, G.J. 2022
Background Hip and pelvic fractures do commonly occur among older adults. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of introduction of the WOLK hip airbag on the incidence of hip fractures.... Show moreBackground Hip and pelvic fractures do commonly occur among older adults. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of introduction of the WOLK hip airbag on the incidence of hip fractures. Methods A retrospective study was performed among 969 participants residing within 11 long-term care facilities for older patients, belonging to one large healthcare organization in The Netherlands. The intervention concerned application of 45 WOLK hip-airbags, distributed among selected residents of the long-term care facilities. Inclusion criteria; physically active participants with a pelvic circumference between 90-125 cm able to wear the hip airbag. Exclusion criteria; participants who continuously removed the hip airbag themselves or participants who depended on a wheelchair for mobility. Main outcome measures were the occurrence of falls and hip, pelvic and other fractures. Results The incidence of hip and pelvic fractures declined from 3.3/100 person years to 1.8/100 person years during the study for an Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) of 0.55 (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 0.34-0.87) in the entire study population. The incidence of other fractures did not decline during the study period (IRR 0.72;95%CI 0.37-1.40). The incidence of falls declined to some extent during the study (IRR 0.88; 95%CI 0.83-0.93). Conclusions After introduction of the WOLK hip airbag a reduction of the incidence of hip and pelvic fractures by almost half was observed in older patients residing in long-term care facilities, even though only 45 hip airbags were distributed among the 969 residents. As selection bias cannot be ruled out in this study, the results of this pilot study warrant replication by a future clinical trial to determine true effectiveness of this intervention. Show less
Schuijt, H.J.; Smeeing, D.P.J.; Groenwold, R.H.H.; Velde, D. van der; Weaver, M.J. 2022
Introduction: Identification of high-risk hip fracture patients in an early stage is vital for guiding surgical management and shared decision making. To objective of this study was to perform an... Show moreIntroduction: Identification of high-risk hip fracture patients in an early stage is vital for guiding surgical management and shared decision making. To objective of this study was to perform an external international validation study of the U-HIP prediction model for in-hospital mortality in geriatric patients with a hip fracture undergoing surgery. Materials and methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data were used from The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Patients aged 70 years or above undergoing hip fracture surgery were included. The discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration of the model were investigated. Results: A total of 25,502 patients were included, of whom 618 (2.4%) died. The mean predicted probability of in-hospital mortality was 3.9% (range 0%-55%). The c-statistic of the model was 0.74 (95% CI 0.72-0.76), which was comparable to the c-statistic of 0.78 (95% CI 0.71-0.85) that was found in the development cohort. The calibration plot indicated that the model was slightly overfitted, with a calibrationin-the-large of 0.015 and a calibration slope of 0.780. Within the subgroup of patients aged between 70 and 85, however, the c-statistic was 0.78 (95% CI 0.75-0.81), with good calibration (calibration slope 0.934). Discussion and conclusion: The U-HIP model for in-hospital mortality in geriatric hip fractures was externally validated in a large international cohort, and showed a good discrimination and fair calibration. This model is freely available online and can be used to predict the risk of mortality, identify high-risk patients and aid clinical decision making. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Show less
Background and Purpose: Two medical specialties, general surgery and orthopaedic surgery, with different training programs but matching trauma certification requirements, provide hip fracture... Show moreBackground and Purpose: Two medical specialties, general surgery and orthopaedic surgery, with different training programs but matching trauma certification requirements, provide hip fracture surgery in the Netherlands. This study analyses treatment preferences and guideline adherence of Dutch surgeons with different surgical backgrounds.Patients and Methods: All hip fracture patients registered in the Dutch Hip Fracture Audit in 2018 and 2019 were included in this retrospective study. Four types of surgeons were distinguished: trauma-certified general surgeons (ST+), non-trauma certified general surgeons (ST-), trauma-certified orthopaedic surgeons (OT+) and non-trauma certified orthopaedic surgeons (OT-). Differences in patient characteristics, and practice variation in treatment choices and guideline adherence per fracture type were analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: 28,656 patients were included; 16,367 (57.1%) treated by ST +, 1,371 (4.8%) by ST-, 4,692 (16.4%) by OT+ and 6,226 (21.7%) by OT-. Few clinically relevant differences in patient characteristics and hospital processes were found between all surgeon groups. Displaced FNF were the most commonly treated fracture type for all types of surgeons. Both OT+ and OT- operated mostly (displaced) FNFs, while the fracture types treated by ST+ and ST- were more heterogeneous. For all fracture types, the orthopaedic surgeons performed THA and HA more often than general surgeons, while general surgeons more often placed SHS and IMN for specific fracture types. Guideline adherence was on average 68.4% and differed significantly per surgeon type (68.7% by ST+, 65.2% by ST-, 74.4% by OT+ and 63.6% by OT-(p<0.01)), as well as per fracture type: >90% treatment according to the guideline for trochanteric AO-31A2 and A3 fractures, 18.8% for AO-31A1 fractures and 51.7% guideline adherence for undisplaced FNF. Guideline adherence for displaced FNF varied depending on patient characteristics.Discussion: In the Netherlands, different surgical specialists treat different types of hip fractures and have different preferences concerning implants for hip fracture surgery in comparable patients. Guideline adherence of trauma- and non-trauma certified orthopaedics and general surgeons differs significantly. Reduction of practice variation should be strived for in order to improve hip fracture care. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Show less
Proximal femoral fractures (often denoted as hip fractures) are amongst the most prevalent fractures in older patients and associated with significant mortality and morbidity.Failure to recover to... Show moreProximal femoral fractures (often denoted as hip fractures) are amongst the most prevalent fractures in older patients and associated with significant mortality and morbidity.Failure to recover to prefracture levels of function has important social and economic implications, as these patient’s risk losing their independence and self-reliance. The primary aim of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of the factors relevant for the functional prognosis of patients with a proximal femoral fracture.This thesis covers two parts, focusing on the effects of surgical aspects and patient demographics.Outcomes of previously performed studies on prognostic factors of recovery proved hard to compare. This can be attributed to the high level of heterogeneity and methodology of these studies, for instance in the method to objectify recovery. For the studies in this thesis, we have opted to compare outcomes with the patients’ individual prefracture level of function. Surgical aspects, such as different approaches to place a prosthesis, seemed to have a reserved effect on recovery. Factors which seemed of conclusive relevance were health scores based on the comorbidity and prefracture level of function. This emphasizes the importance of a holistic and geriatric approach for patients with proximal hip fractures. Show less
Sijp, M.P.L. van der; Eijk, M. van; Niggebrugge, A.H.P.; Putter, H.; Blauw, G.J.; Achterberg, W.P. 2021
Objectives: This study investigates the transitions of community-dwelling patients with a proximal femoral fracture towards recovery of independence using multistate modeling. The prognostic value... Show moreObjectives: This study investigates the transitions of community-dwelling patients with a proximal femoral fracture towards recovery of independence using multistate modeling. The prognostic value of factors affecting the short-term rate of recovery of independence in activities of daily living was assessed for the resilient portion of the population. Design: An inception cohort was recruited between 2016 and 2019. Setting and Participants: Only community-dwelling older patients admitted with a proximal femoral fracture were included. Measures: Follow-up was performed at 6 weeks and 3 months, when the patients' living situation and level of independence were recorded. Multistate modeling was used to study the transition rates of the population through prespecified states of the recovery process. Using this model, prognostic factors for the recovery of independence were identified for resilient patients (defined as those patients who managed to return home at any point in the follow-up after discharge). Results: A total of 558 patients were included, and 218 (40.9%) recovered to prefracture levels of independence. Of the resilient patients, 20.7% were discharged home directly, and 79.3% via a rehabilitation home. In this patient group, a more favorable American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, better prefracture mobility, and the absence of a prefracture fear of falling were statistically significantly associated with a successful recovery. A low level of prefracture independence was inversely associated, meaning that patients with a low level of prefracture independence had a higher chance of successful recovery. Conclusions and Implications: This study identified 4 factors with an independent prognostic value for the recovery of independence in resilient patients after a proximal femoral fracture. These factors could be used to construct clinical profiles that contribute to the assessment of the patient's post-acute care needs and recovery capacity. In addition, multistate modeling has been shown to be an effective and versatile tool in the study of recovery prognostics. (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Show less
Kalsbeek, J.; Walsum, A. van; Roerdink, H.; Schipper, I. 2021
Purpose In this study, we aimed to determine the correlation between the preoperative posterior tilt of the femoral head and treatment failure in patients with a Garden type I and II femoral neck... Show morePurpose In this study, we aimed to determine the correlation between the preoperative posterior tilt of the femoral head and treatment failure in patients with a Garden type I and II femoral neck fracture (FNF) treated with the dynamic locking blade plate (DLBP). Methods Preoperative posterior tilt was measured in a prospective documented cohort of 193 patients with a Garden type I and II FNF treated with the DLBP. The correlation between preoperative posterior tilt and failure, defined as revision surgery because of avascular necrosis, non-union, or cut-out, was analyzed. Results Patients with failed fracture treatment (5.5%) had a higher degree of posterior tilt on the initial radiograph than the patients with uneventful healed fractures: 21.4 degrees and 13.8 degrees, respectively (p = 0.03). The failure rate was 3.2% for Garden type I and II FNF with a posterior tilt < 20 degrees and 12.5% if the preoperative posterior tilt was >= 20 degrees. A posterior tilt of >= 20 degrees was associated with an odds ratio of 4.24 (95% CI 1.09-16.83; p = 0.04). Conclusion Garden type I and II FNFs with a significant preoperative posterior tilt (>= 20 degrees) seem to behave like unstable fractures and have a four times higher risk of failure. Preoperative posterior tilt >= 20 degrees of the femoral head should be considered as a significant predictor for failure of treatment in Garden type I and II FNFs treated with the DLBP. Show less
A Summary Individual process indicators often do not enable the benchmarking of hospitals and often lack an association with outcomes of care. The composite hip fracture process indicator, textbook... Show moreA Summary Individual process indicators often do not enable the benchmarking of hospitals and often lack an association with outcomes of care. The composite hip fracture process indicator, textbook process, might be a tool to detect hospital variation and is associated with better outcomes during hospital stay.Purpose The aim of this study was to determine hospital variation in quality of hip fracture care using a composite process indicator (textbook process) and to evaluate at patient level whether fulfilment of the textbook process indicator was associated with better outcomes during hospital stay.Methods Hip fracture patients aged 70 and older operated in five hospitals between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018 were included. Textbook process for hip fracture care was defined as follows: (1) assessment of malnutrition (2) surgery within 24 h, (3) orthogeriatric management during admission and (4) operation by an orthopaedic trauma certified surgeon. Hospital variation analysis was done by computing an observed/expected ratio (O/E ratio) for textbook process at hospital level. The expected ratios were derived from a multivariable logistic regression analysis including all relevant case-mix variables. The association between textbook process compliance and in-hospital complications and prolonged hospital stay was determined at patient level in a multivariable logistic regression model, with correction for patient, treatment and hospital characteristics. In-hospital complications were anaemia, delirium, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, in-hospital fall, heart failure, renal insufficiency, pulmonary embolism, wound infection and pressure ulcer.Results Of the 1371 included patients, 753 (55%) received care according to textbook process. At hospital level, the textbook compliance rates ranged from 38 to 76%. At patient level, textbook process compliance was significantly associated with fewer complications (38% versus 46%) (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.84), but not with hospital stay (median length of hospital stay was 5 days in both groups) (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.78-1.30).Conclusion The textbook process indicator for hip fracture care might be a tool to detect hospital variation. At patient level, this quality indicator is associated with fewer complications during hospital stay. Show less
Sijp, M.P.L. van der; Moonen, L.; Schipper, I.B.; Krijnen, P.; Pre, K.J. du; Niggebrugge, A.H.P. 2020
Introduction: Hip fractures are the most common fractures amongst frail older patients. Earlier studies have indicated an impaired hip flexion strength in patients with fractures that include... Show moreIntroduction: Hip fractures are the most common fractures amongst frail older patients. Earlier studies have indicated an impaired hip flexion strength in patients with fractures that include detachment of the lesser trochanter. These patients may experience protracted functional impairment and longer recovery time, causing prolonged rehabilitation journeys. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a detached lesser trochanter in trochanteric fractures on the recovery of hip function.Method: A prospective observational cohort study was performed between 2016 and 2019. Community dwelling patients aged 70 years or older with AO 31A1-A3 trochanteric fractures were included. Patients followed routine care and were treated with a DHS or PFNA. The groups with and without involvement of the lesser trochanter were analysed. The primary outcome was hip function assessed at 6 weeks, 3 months and 1 year after surgery with the Harris Hip Score. Secondary outcomes included the Ludloff's test, complications, rehabilitation time, and pain-, independence-, and quality of life scores. A propensity score was used to adjust for any baseline differences between the two groups.Results: A total of 114 patients were included, 51 (44.7%) with involvement of the lesser trochanter and 63 (55.3%) without. Minor differences were observed in the baseline characteristics. No significant difference was observed for the Harris Hip Score (coefficient estimate: 3.31; 95% CI, -5.09-11.72; P = 0.43). The flexion function of the iliopsoas muscle was more often normal with the Ludloff's test in patients without involvement of the lesser trochanter (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.241-4.387; P = 0.009). However, no differences were observed for any of the other secondary outcomes.Conclusion: Although no differences in overall hip function were found, more hip fracture patients with involvement of the lesser trochanter showed prolonged impaired flexion of the hip. The absence of longterm, clinically relevant disadvantages however, proves fixing the lesser trochanter to be redundant. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Show less
Sijp, M.P.L. van der; Eijk, M. van; Tong, W.H.; Niggebrugge, A.H.P.; Schoones, J.W.; Blauw, G.J.; Achterberg, W.P. 2020
Introduction: The current understanding of prognostic factors of functional recovery after a proximal femoral fracture is limited, and enhancements could improve the prognostic accuracy and target... Show moreIntroduction: The current understanding of prognostic factors of functional recovery after a proximal femoral fracture is limited, and enhancements could improve the prognostic accuracy and target subgroups for additional care strategies. This systematic review aims to identify all studied factors with an independent prognostic value for the long-term functional recovery of patients with a proximal femoral fracture.Materials and methods: Observational studies with multivariate analyses on prognostic factors of long-term functional outcome after proximal femoral fractures were obtained through an electronic search performed on November 9, 2018.Results: In the 31 included articles, thirteen prognostic factors were studied by at least two independent studies and an additional ten by only one study. Age, comorbidity, functionality and cognition were factors for which the majority of studies indicated a significant effect. The majority of studies which included sex as a factor found no significant effect. The level of evidence for the remaining factors was deemed too low to be conclusive on their relevance for long-term functional outcome.Conclusion: The identified factors showed overlap with prognostic factors of short-term functional outcomes and mortality. The validity and applicability of prognostic models based on these factors may be of interest for future research. Show less
The principal aim of the thesis is to define how the quality of hip fracture care should be measured and evaluated through a nationwide clinical hip fracture audit (chapter 1). To measure the... Show moreThe principal aim of the thesis is to define how the quality of hip fracture care should be measured and evaluated through a nationwide clinical hip fracture audit (chapter 1). To measure the quality of hip fracture care, adequate quality indicators are needed and the parameters in the audit database must be valid. Chapters 2 to 5 deal with quality indicators, while Chapter 6 addresses the validity of one of the audit database parameters. To evaluate the quality of hip fracture care the Dutch Hip Fracture Audit (DHFA) was developed. The initiation and the development of the DHFA are described in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 explores whether facilitators and barriers experienced by hospital staff were associated with hospital participation in the DHFA. The systematic data verification process of seven Dutch audits is described in Chapter 9. Based on the findings of the studies in this thesis, the general discussion (chapter 10) describes the most suitable measurements to assess the quality of hip fracture care through a clinical audit and whether the dataset of the DHFA in its present form is adequate to evaluate the quality of hip fracture care. Show less