ARE DEMOGRAPHICS PREDICTOR FACTORS OF THE TYPE OF HIP FRACTURE FOLLOWING FALL IN THE ELDERLY?

Abstract

Background: Hip fractures in the elderly have epidemic character. Although hip fractures have been considered as a single, homogeneous condition, there are two major anatomic types of proximal femoral fractures: intertrochanteric and femoral neck.

Aim: The purpose of our study is determining if patients suffering from these two types of hip fracture have different characteristics. Are demographics predictor factors of the type of hip fracture following fall in the elderly?

Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital for a hip fracture between 2003 and 2007 was conducted A total of 652 patients participated in the study, aged between 64–97 years old. 159 patients were men and 493 women.

Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of hip fracture. Group 1 included 299 patients with subcapital fractures, 61 men and 238 women and the second group 353 patients with intertrochanteric fractures, 98 men and 298 women. Patients’ demographics concerning age, sex, weight, height on admission at the hospital were compared between groups.

Results: The mean age (79± 9,4) of the patients with intertrochanteric fracture was statistically significant greater(Mann-Whitney test, p=0,001) than this of the patients with femoral neck fractures (76± 11,5).The sex ratio between the two groups seem to be significant different (x2 test, p=0,029) However following stratification of the data the effect of sex on the type of fracture disappeared. Mean height (Mann-Whitney test, p=0,765) and weight (Mann-Whitney test, p=0,448) did not differ significantly between the two groups. The mean time of hospitalization for the group of intertrochanteric fractures was significantly greater than this of the subcapital group(Mann-Whitney test. p=0,001).

Conclusions: It appears that intertrochanteric fracture patients have intrinsic factors (older age and consequently poor health) impacting upon their risk of fracture and ability to recover. Differences in patient characteristics and sequelae do exist between femoral neck and intertrochanteric hip fracture patients that impact upon recovery. However somatometric characteristics as height and weight did not differ significantly between the two types of fractures.