Comparison of activities of daily living after osteoporotic hip fracture surgery in patients admitted from home and from geriatric health service facilities

Clinical Interventions in Aging, October 2014

25378917

Akira Horikawa, Naohisa Miyakoshi, Yoichi Shimada, Hiroyuki Kodama

With the population and proportion of the elderly increasing each year, difficulties with postoperative treatment outcomes after osteoporotic hip fracture are increasing. This study focused on activities of daily living (ADL) in patients who underwent surgery for hip fracture through an investigation of living arrangements, the presence of dementia, and other complications of aging. Information from 99 patients who lived either at home or in geriatric health service facilities was collected for this trial. Most patients were over 65 years of age and female, and about half of them had dementia. The postoperative ADL score (focusing on patients' walking ability) was significant for those living at home than for those living in facilities. In addition, patients with dementia were divided into the following two categories: an early-rising group, comprising patients who were able to use a wheelchair within 48 hours of their operation; and a late-rising group, who did not start using a wheelchair until more than 48 hours after surgery. The ADL scores for the two groups were compared. Although the preoperative ADL scores were not significantly different between the two groups, postoperative ADL scores were significantly higher in the early-rising group than in the late-rising group, especially in patients who had undergone hemiarthroplasty. These data suggest that ADL in dementia patients following hip fracture depends on the surgical procedure performed and whether they are late or early risers after surgery.