Aims. The primary aim of this study was to compare surgical methods (sliding hip screw (SHS) vs intramedullary nailing (IMN)) for trochanteric hip fracture in relation to death within 120 days after surgery and return to independent living. The secondary aim was to assess whether the associations between surgical method and death or ability to return to independent living varied depending on fracture subtype or other patient characteristics. Methods. A total of 27,530 individuals from the Swedish Hip Fracture Register RIKSHÖFT (SHR) aged ≥ 70 years, admitted to hospital between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019 with trochanteric hip fracture, were included. Within this cohort, 12,041 individuals lived independently at baseline, had follow-up information in the SHR, and were thus investigated for return to independent living. Death within 120 days after surgery was analyzed using Cox regression with SHS as reference and adjusted for age and fracture type. Return to independent living was analyzed using logistic regression adjusted for age and fracture type. Analyses were repeated after stratification by fracture type, age, and sex. Results. Overall, 2,171 patients (18%) who were operated with SHS and 2,704 patients (18%) who were operated with IMN died within 120 days after surgery. Adjusted Cox regression revealed no difference in death within 120 days for the whole group (hazard ratio 0.97 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.03)), nor after stratification by fracture type. In total, 3,714 (66%) patients who were operated with SHS and 4,147 (64%) patients who were operated with IMN had returned to independent living at follow-up. There was no significant difference in return to independent living for the whole group (odds ratio 0.95 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.03)), nor after stratification by fracture type. Conclusion. No overall difference was observed in death within 120 days or return to independent living following surgery for trochanteric hip fracture, depending on surgical method (SHS vs IMN) in this recent Swedish cohort, but there was a suggested benefit for SHS in subgroups of patients. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(10):843–850

The Scottish Hip Fracture Audit (. 1. ) was founded on Rikshoft, the Swedish hip fracture register (. 2. ), and since 1993 has documented case-mix, process and outcomes of hip fracture care in Scotland. Evidence-based national guidelines on hip fracture care were updated by a multidisciplinary group in 2002(. 3. ). And hip fracture serves as a tracer condition by the health quality assurance authority for its work on older people, which reported in 2004 (. 4. ). Audit data are used locally to document care and support and monitor service developments. Synergy between the guidelines and the audit provides a means of improving care locally and monitoring care nationally. External review by the quality assurance body shows to what extent guideline-based standards relating to A& E care, pre-operative delay, multidisciplinary care and audit participation are met. Three national-level initiatives on hip fracture care have delivered: reliable and largescale comparative information on case-mix, care and outcomes; evidence-based recommendations on care; and nationally accountable standards inspected and reported by the national health quality assurance authority. These developments are linked and synergistic, and enjoy both clinical and managerial support. They provide an evolving framework for clinical governance and quality assurance, with methods for casemix-adjusted outcome assessment for hip fracture care also now developed

Aims

This study aimed to identify risk factors (patient, healthcare system, and socioeconomic) for mortality after hip fractures and estimate their relative importance. Further, we aimed to elucidate mortality and survival patterns following fractures and the duration of excess mortality.