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June 08, 2021
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Mortality is lower after acetabular vs proximal femoral fractures in older patients

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Compared with proximal femoral fractures, acetabular fractures were linked with lower 1-year mortality rates in older patients despite being associated with a higher complication rate, according to published results.

Researchers compared data from a group of 129 patients with acetabular fractures (mean age of 78 years) and 129 patients with proximal femoral fractures (mean age of 77 years).

Stetzelberger graphic
The researchers did note a “significantly higher” overall perioperative complication rate in the acetabular fracture cohort (68%) compared with the proximal femoral fracture cohort (48%). Data were derived from Stetzelberger VM, et al. J Bone Joint Surg. 2021;doi:10.2106/JBJS.20.01805.

According to the study, outcome measures included cumulative 1-year mortality (evaluated with the Kaplan Meier survivorship analysis) and perioperative complications. Additionally, researchers performed Cox proportional hazard modeling to identify factors associated with increased 1-year mortality.

Researchers found the acetabular fracture cohort had lower cumulative 1-year mortality both before matching (18% for acetabular fractures vs. 33% for proximal femoral fractures) and after matching (18% vs. 36%, respectively.) However, they noted a “signicantly higher” overall perioperative complication rate in the acetabular fracture cohort (68%) compared with the proximal femoral fracture cohort (48%).

“In our multivariable Cox regression analysis, older age, perioperative blood loss of greater than 1 L and wheelchair mobilization were associated with lower survival rates after acetabular fracture surgery,” the researchers wrote in the study. “Older age and a higher [five]-item modied frailty index were associated with a higher 1-year mortality rate after proximal femoral fractures, whereas postoperative full weight-bearing was protective,” they wrote.