Search

Background/aim: Femoral neck fracture (FNF) seriously impact the health of the elderly and affect their long-term quality of life of the patients. This study aimed to determine whether combining the preoperative Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) with serum fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) and run-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) could better predict the prognosis of elderly patients with FNF 3 months after surgery., Materials and Methods: A total of 150 elderly patients with FNF (60-89 years old) were enrolled and divided into a nonfrailty cohort and a frailty cohort based on preoperative FFP evaluation. The hip recovery of patients 3 months after surgery was evaluated using Harris Hip Score (HHS). Serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 levels were analyzed, and the relationship between HHS and serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 levels was evaluated. The specificity and sensitivity of FFP, serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 were evaluated using ROC curves before surgery. Potential prognostic factors were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression., Results: Serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 levels were lower and hip recovery was poorer in the frailty cohort than in the nonfrailty cohort (p < 0.001). Within 3 months after surgery, there were 12 deaths (17.6%) in the frailty cohort and 1 in the nonfrailty cohort (1.2%) (p < 0.001). FFP assessment combined with serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 levels had a higher diagnostic significance. Readmission and preoperative frailty phenotype were independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with FNF. HHS scores greater than 70 and higher levels of serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 cutoff values (7.85 ng/mL and 56.5 ng/mL, respectively) were identified as protective factors for prognosis., Conclusion: Assessing FFP alongside serum FGFR3 and RUNX2 levels may aid in evaluating the prognosis of elderly patients with FNF 3 months after surgery., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© TÜBİTAK.)

Purpose: Vitamin D (25[OH]D) status and bone turnover markers (BTMs) are considered important determinants of bone quality, which is associated with the risk of hip fractures, including both femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures, in older adults; however, the exact relationship of 25(OH)D and BTMs with the type and severity of hip fractures remains unclear and the present study aimed to identify any specific associations., Patients and Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 441 older female patients with hip fractures from 2015 to 2020 and 215 women without hip fractures were included in this cross-sectional study. According to Garden and AO/OTA classifications for femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures, patients were divided into less severe (Garden I and Garden II; 31A1) and more severe (Garden III and Garden IV; 31A2 and 31A3) fracture groups. Levels of the serum osteoblast indicator, N-terminal/mid region (N-MID); the osteoclast indicator, beta-carboxy terminal telopeptide (β-CTX); and 25(OH)D were analyzed., Results: For patients with less severe fractures, mean 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher than those with more severe fractures (17.67 vs 15.30 ng/mL, p = 0.006). Higher 25(OH)D levels were also observed in patients with less severe intertrochanteric fractures (p = 0.01). After adjustments for confounders, 25(OH)D remained a risk factor for patients with more severe fractures (p = 0.01), particularly those with intertrochanteric fractures (p = 0.011). No significant differences in BTMS were found between patients with less severe and more severe fractures., Conclusion: Levels of 25(OH)D were significantly associated with the severity of intertrochanteric, but not femoral neck, fractures. Neither 25(OH)D nor BTMs were associated with the type of hip fracture in older women. Separate consideration of intertrochanteric and femoral neck fractures may be appropriate when investigating the clinical association between 25(OH)D and the severity of hip fractures in older women., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. Weitao Jia and Shengbao Chen are corresponding co-authors., (© 2020 Zhao et al.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Gotfried positive reduction (GPR) on repair of femoral neck fracture in rabbits and its underlying mechanisms. Male New Zealand white rabbits were employed to establish the model of femoral neck fracture. All the rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: control, open accurate reduction (OR), closed Gotfried negative support reduction (CR-N) and closed Gotfried positive support reduction (CR-P). At the 8th and 12th week after surgery, the anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of their hip joints were taken by X-ray, and local hemodynamics of their hip joints was detected by ultrasound. Histological examination was evaluated by HE staining and bone biological strength test was measured by testing machine, which was performed to study the repair of femoral neck fracture. Osteogenesis and angiogenesis-related proteins were measured by western blot in bone tissues and synovial tissues. The results revealed that the fracture healing intensity and blood supply in CR-P were better than those in CR-N and much more excellent than those in OR. In addition, the content of bone morphogenetic protein2 (BMP2), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and ocsteocalcin was higher in CR-P group than in CR-N, while lower in CR-P than OR. Furthermore, the expression of BMP2, COL-2 and angiopoietin (ANGPT) was upregulated in CR-P compared to CR-N and OR. Taken together, our results indicated that GPR was able to promote the repair of femoral neck fracture via enhancing osteogenesis and angiogenesis, which is valuable to us and shows good application prospect in bone tissue repair., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neck of Femur (NOF) fractures are a common injury in comorbid elderly patients which are associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality following fracture. Because of their injury, patients can experience reductions in quality of life and independent living leading to transfer to nursing home or dependent levels of care. Numerous factors are associated with either complications or reductions in survival following fractured NOF. From the VISION cohort there is evidence that troponin elevation in the post-operative period following a diverse range of non-cardiac surgical procedures may lead to an increased risk of mortality in the absence of classical ischaemic or cardiac symptoms. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to validate the utility of perioperative troponin elevation as a prognostic indicator for mortality and cardiac morbidity in those with fractured NOF., Methods: The PRISMA guidelines for the conduct of meta-analyses were followed. An electronic search was conducted of the EMBASE, MEDLINE (Ovid) and Biosis databases. Studies were included for analysis if they stratified outcomes by perioperative troponin elevation in surgically managed fractured NOF and reported sufficient data on troponin elevation and mortality following surgery. Primary and secondary outcomes assessed were all-cause post-operative mortality and a composite measure of cardiac complications (myocardial infarction, cardiac failure and arrhythmia) respectively., Results: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria giving a total of 1363 patients. Overall, 497 patients (36.5%) experienced an elevation in troponin levels following surgery. Perioperative troponin elevation was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.5 - 4.6; p <0.001) and cardiac complications (OR 7.4; 95% CI 3.5 - 15.8; p <0.001). Patient factors significantly associated with troponin elevation included pre-existing coronary artery disease, cardiac failure, hypertension, previous stroke and previous myocardial infarction., Conclusion: Perioperative troponin elevation is significantly associated with increased mortality and post-operative cardiac complications following fractured NOF and may be a useful prognostic indicator in these patients. Future research should further stratify patients by the magnitude of troponin elevation and further refine the risk factors., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The senior author (NJL) has previously received honoraria, travel and accommodation expenses unrelated to the subject of this paper from Merck, Sharp and Dohme. No authors received any benefits for this study that would constitute a conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Our study aimed to examine the status of plasma fatty acids (FAs), inflammatory markers, and lipid peroxidation in patients with femoral neck fractures. The study included 20 patients (64-86 years) with femoral neck fractures indicated for surgery and a control group of 17 elderly subjects without fractures or serious chronic diseases. Plasma was obtained during the first 12 h postfracture and presurgery and 7 days postop. Compared to the control, patients had significantly higher saturated FA (SFA) and monounsaturated FA as well as increased TNF-α and IL-6. Opposite to that, levels of individual and total n -6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), individual and total n -3 PUFA, n -6/ n -3 ratio, and levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were markedly lower in the patient than in the controls. On the seventh day after the surgery, we showed a further rise in the SFA, oleic acid, and TNF-α and reductions of n -6 PUFA and IL-6. Taken together, our results suggest that altered FA status, especially reduced PUFA, may influence hip fracture repair and even contribute to femoral fracture susceptibility in the elderly. A potential benefit from nutritional intervention with PUFA in prevention and (or) fracture healing should be considered.

Background: The correlation between peripheral blood neutrophil level and osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) has not been extensively studied. Thus, we aimed to investigate the correlation between neutrophil level in the peripheral blood (neutrophil granulocyte) and ONFH., Methods: A total of 984 cases of ONFH and femoral neck fractures (non-ONFH) diagnosed at the Department of Orthopedics at our institution between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The ONFH and non-ONFH groups comprised 488 and 496 cases, respectively. Basic information and peripheral blood cell levels of the two groups were compared., Results: The patients' mean age was 59.89 ± 17.06 years (range: 38-82 years). There were 457 male and 527 female patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.15. We found that neutrophil granulocyte levels and percentage of neutrophil granulocytes were significantly different between the ONFH and non-ONFH groups. Multimodal regression analysis showed that the percentage of neutrophil granulocytes was an independent protective factor against ONFH., Conclusions: The factors influencing ONFH are neutrophil granulocyte levels and percentage of neutrophil granulocytes. Percentage of neutrophil granulocytes has a significant correlation with aseptic femoral head necrosis, providing a new perspective and direction for further study of femoral head necrosis.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of postoperative serum levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients who required hip replacement surgery for traumatic fractured neck of femur. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study included 180 patients who had hip replacement surgery for traumatic fractured neck of femur and a control group of 100 patients. Differences between the two groups were compared for serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-alpha, and the Harris Hip Score (HHS) (maximum 100 points) using Pearson's correlation. RESULTS Serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-alpha in the control group were significantly lower than those in the study group (P<0.05). According to the HHS, there were 53 patients in the excellent group, 65 patients in the good group, 43 patients in the fair group and 19 patients in the poor group. Postoperative indicator analysis showed significant differences in IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-alpha levels between the four groups (P<0.05). Clinical indicators increased from the excellent group to the poor group, with significant differences between the four groups (P<0.05). Postoperative levels of IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-alpha were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significant correlation with the clinical indicators (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In patients with hip replacement surgery for traumatic fractured neck of femur, measurement of postoperative serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-alpha were shown to be potential prognostic indicators.

Introduction: In the Spanish population, previous studies related to mortality after hip fracture are based on patients aged 60 to 102years and did not stratify patients according to the type of fracture. The objective of this study was to identify the factors with influence on mortality at one postoperative year in patients aged 80years or older after a femoral neck fracture., Material and Method: Retrospective study of cases and controls. Consecutive patients operated between 2015 and 2016 were included. Baseline characteristics, medical history and previous medication, analytical parameters, Charlson index, ASA scale, Barthel index and Pfeiffer questionnaire were studied. Surgical data and complications were recorded during follow-up. Survival was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the variables that affected it by Cox regression., Results: Mortality one year postoperatively was 21.1% and mean survival 10.3months (95%CI: 9.7-10.9). The Cox regression showed that age >87years, Barthel score ≤85 and the combination of anticoagulants with INR ≥1.5 were significant predictors of mortality during the first year of follow-up., Conclusion: The predictors of mortality during the first postoperative year after femoral neck fracture in octogenarian or older patients were: age>87years, physical dependence measured by a Barthel index score ≤85, and the use of anticoagulants with a INR ≥1.5 at admission., (Copyright © 2018 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Limited studies are available to investigate the prevalence of preoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures. Our primary aim was to determine the incidences of VTE and its risk or protective factors in such patient population. The secondary objective was to evaluate the need of therapeutic anticoagulation for isolated calf muscular venous thrombosis (ICMVT) prior to femoral neck fracture surgery., Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study, including 301 femoral neck fracture patients who were admitted to our institution between January 2014 and March 2017. Bilateral Doppler ultrasonography was performed in each of the patients as a preoperative VTE screening. The event rate of VTE was calculated, and significant risk or protective factors were determined by using a multivariate logistic regression model. Patients with ICMVT were divided into anticoagulation and no anticoagulation groups to assess the efficacy and safety of preoperative therapeutic anticoagulation. Intraoperative blood loss, drainage volume, blood transfusion, perioperative hemoglobin change, and rate of thrombosis extension were compared between the two groups., Results: The overall preoperative incidence of VTE in patients with femoral neck fracture was 18.9% (57/301), in which deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was 18.9% and pulmonary embolism (PE) was 1%. Among the DVT cases, 77.2% (44/57) were ICMVTs. Multiple fractures (odds ratio [OR] = 9.418; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.537 to 34.96), coexisting movement disorder (OR = 3.862; 95% CI = 1.658 to 8.993), bed rest for more than 7 days (OR = 2.082; 95% CI = 1.011 to 4.284) as well as elevated levels of D-dimer (OR = 1.019; 95% CI = 1.002 to 1.037) and fibrinogen (OR = 1.345; 95% CI = 1.008 to 1.796) led to an increase in the risk of VTE, while the recent use of antiplatelet drug (OR = 0.424; 95% CI = 0.181 to 0.995) and prophylactic anticoagulation (OR = 0.503; 95% CI = 0.263 to 0.959) decreased the risk of VTE. For the 39 patients with ICMVT undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery, there were no significant differences in the rate of thrombosis extension between anticoagulation and no anticoagulation groups, but significantly decreased postoperative hemoglobin was observed in the anticoagulation group., Conclusion: Our findings showed a high prevalence of preoperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture, with risk factors identified. We found that the most detected VTE were ICMVTs. Our study suggested that a direct surgery without preoperative use of therapeutic anticoagulation for ICMVT would not reduce the risk of thrombus extension, and the therapeutic use of anticoagulation may worsen postoperative anemia.

Objective: to compare clinical, laboratory and densitometric data from patients with osteoarthrosis and femoral neck fractures., Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with femoral neck fracture and hip osteoarthrosis submitted to hip arthroplasty. We collected clinical, laboratory and densitometric data., Results: we included 53 patients, 22 with femoral neck fractures and 31 with osteoarthrosis. Patients with femoral neck fractures were older than patients with osteoarthrosis, with lower BMI values, bone mineral density and palmar grip strength (sarcopenic patients), being more neurologically impaired and presenting a worse ASA score. Among the various biochemical parameters analyzed, we found statistically significant differences in total serum calcium, ionized calcium, vitamin D, free thyroxine, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and creatinine between the two groups. Other hormones analyzed and biochemical parameters did not differ significantly, although they showed trends between the two groups., Conclusion: patients with femoral neck fractures are older than patients with osteoarthrosis, have a lower weight and BMI, are more debilitated, many with anemia and reduced bone mass, and have a significant decrease in total calcium, ionized calcium, vitamin D and creatinine and a significant increase in free thyroxine.

Background and Objectives: An ultrasound guided femoral nerve block is an established analgesic method in patients with a hip fracture. Elevated cytokine levels correlate with poor patient outcomes after surgery. Hence, the aim of the study was to describe the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α after an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block in elderly patients having a femoral neck fracture., Methods: A total of 32 patients were allocated into two treatment groups: 16 patients (femoral nerve block group; ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block with up to 20mL of 0.3mL.kg -1 of 0.5% bupivacaine and intravenous tramadol) and 16 patients (standard management group; up to 3mL of 0.9% saline in the femoral sheath and intravenous tramadol). Tumor necrosis factor-α and visual analogue scale scores were evaluated immediately before the femoral nerve block and again at 4, 24, and 48h after the femoral nerve block. All surgery was performed electively after 48h of femoral nerve block., Results: The femoral nerve block group had a significantly lower mean tumor necrosis factor-α level at 24 (4.60 vs. 8.14, p<0.001) and 48h (5.05 vs. 8.56, p<0.001) after the femoral nerve block, compared to the standard management group. The femoral nerve block group showed a significantly lower mean visual analogue scale score at 4 (3.63 vs. 7.06, p<0.001) and 24h (4.50 vs. 5.75, p<0.001) after the femoral nerve block, compared to the standard management group., Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block using 0.3mL.kg -1 of 0.5% bupivacaine up to a maximum of 20mL resulted in a significant lower tumor necrosis factor-α level., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Objective This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of rivaroxaban versus nadroparin for preventing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in elderly patients with osteoporosis undergoing initial total hip arthroplasty (THA) for femoral neck fractures. Methods Prospectively maintained databases were reviewed to retrospectively compare elderly patients with osteoporosis who underwent initial THA for femoral neck fractures from 2007 to 2015. The patients received peroral rivaroxaban at 10 mg/day for 2 weeks or subcutaneous injections of nadroparin at 0.3 mL/day for 2 weeks until the primary analysis cut-off date. The time to first on-study DVT was the primary endpoint. Results In total, 399 patients were included (rivaroxaban group: n=200; mean age, 70.20 ± 9.16 years and nadroparin group: n = 199; mean age, 69.90 ± 8.87 years), with a mean 3-year follow-up. The time to first on-study DVT was significantly longer in the rivaroxaban than nadroparin group (12 and 5 days, respectively). The incidence of DVT within the 2-week follow-up was significantly higher in the nadroparin than rivaroxaban group (6.8% and 19.7%, respectively), but this difference was no longer present at the final follow-up. Conclusion Rivaroxaban was associated with a significant reduction in the occurrence of first on-study DVT compared with nadroparin.

Rationale: Refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (RITP) manifests as low platelet count, with a high risk of hemorrhage, treatment difficulty, and high mortality. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in RITP is rarely reported. This study aimed to evaluate multiple THAs or revision total hip arthroplasties (RTHAs) in RITP., Patient Concerns: The male patient with RITP was 54-year-old patient and hospitalized on September 21, 2009, with the main complaint of bilateral hip pain after traveling for 2 weeks. The patient had a history of ITP for 16-years, with no response to hormone therapy (after adequate hormone therapy, platelet count persistently remained below 30 × 10/L). Two year prior to visit, the patient underwent splenectomy, and postoperative platelet persistently fluctuated around 10 to 20 × 10/L. The patient did not undergo regular reexaminations, and declined immunosuppressants., Diagnoses: Femoral neck fracture; Refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (RITP)., Interventions: A RITP patient with femoral neck fracture received 2 THAs and 1 RTHA. First THA indication was significant left dislocation of Garden III type. RTHA was performed following prosthetic loosening after left total hip arthroplasty. The second THA was prompted by non-healing of the old fracture, significant pain, and a low Harris score. Platelet count remained <20 × 10/L, and conventional drugs, splenectomy, and platelet transfusion had no effects. A large gamma-globulin dose was administered preoperatively. When platelet increased to 75 × 10/L, 2 THAs and 1 RTHA were successfully completed., Outcomes: Postsurgery, conventional management was applied; no severe complications occurred. The wound was well healed, with platelet count reduced to <15 × 10/L at hospital discharge. The patient recovered, with a Harris score >80 at 1 year postsurgery., Lessons: Extremely low platelet count is a contraindication of surgery. In this patient, preoperative platelet count was <100 × 10/L. Extended disease course and multiple operations lowered platelet count, and increased risk in surgery. However, high postoperative gamma-globulin dose impacted therapy, and all surgeries were successful, with no severe complications. The wound healed well, and the quality of life was significantly improved, demonstrating the feasibility and safety of this surgery. Multiple THA or RTHA surgeries are feasible and safe for RITP patients.

BACKGROUND Single photon emission computerized tomography and computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) is useful for assessing blood supply within the femoral head after femoral neck fracture, but its use in all femoral neck fracture patients is not feasible. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the patients for whom SPECT/CT examination will be most beneficial. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty-five patients with a unilateral femoral neck fracture who underwent SPECT/CT examination of the hip and were treated via closed reduction and internal fixation with three screws were enrolled between January 2009 and March 2011. A decision tree model (C 5.0) was used to identify the factors that best reflect blood supply and to build a flowchart for identifying patients who would benefit from SPECT/CT. RESULTS Fracture type was most strongly associated with the Fracture/Normal (F/N) ratio, which reflects the blood supply to the fractured femoral head. Age and the time interval from injury to examination were also associated with the F/N ratio. SPECT/CT examination is most beneficial for patients with a displaced fracture, especially if they are over 58 years old and the time interval from injury to examination is less than 10 days. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that elderly people with a displaced fracture are most likely to benefit from SPECT/CT examination, which can show the blood supply to the femoral head within a relatively short window of time after the injury.

Objective: To determine the effect of site of fracture on the prognosis for patients of elderly hip fracture., Methods: From January 2012 to December 2014, 667 patients with hip fractures were divided into femoral neck fracture group and intertrochanteric fracture group according to the site of fracture. There were 304 cases of intertrochanteric fracture, including 96 males and 208 females, with an average age of (80.33±7.94) years old. There were 217 cases of femoral neck fracture, including 74 males and 143 females, with an average age of (79.82±9.33) years old. Patients' data, mortality and activities of daily living were compared between two groups., Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender, comorbidity, ASA classification, and anesthesia between two groups, but the time of admission to surgery, duration of operation, blood loss of intra-operative, volume of drainage, and the average of transfusion were shown to have significant differences. The levels of White blood cell count (WBC) for intertrochanteric fracture group were shown to be higher than that of femoral neck fracture patients at admission, 1, 3 and 5 days after operation. The levels of hemoglobin, and albumin for intertrochanteric fracture were lower than that of femoral neck fracture patients at all period of time. The mortality of intertrochanteric fracture group during hospitalization, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were higher than that of femoral neck fracture, but did not reach significant difference. In patients who survived, the scores of ADL for femoral neck fracture were higher than that of intertrochanteric fracture at discharge, 1, 3 months after operation, but there was no significant difference for ADL at 6 and 12 months between two groups., Conclusions: The response of stress for intertrochanteric fracture were more than femoral neck fracture, but the mortality was similar than that of femoral neck fracture after excluding the influence of age, sex, comorbidity, and other factors. Compared to intertrochanteric fracture, the femoral neck fracture patients had a better functional recovery during early stage, and the two groups reached a similar functional recovery at 1 year after operation., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

The purpose of this study was to clarify bone turnover marker levels in rapidly destructive coxopathy (RDC). Twenty patients with RDC (mean age, 72 ± 11 years; 3 men, 17 postmenopausal women), 111 with osteoarthritis (OA) (age, 60 ± 10 years; 15 men, 13 premenopausal women, 83 postmenopausal women), and 18 with osteonecrosis of femoral head (ON) (55 ± 14 years; 11 men, 3 premenopausal women, 4 postmenopausal women), and 100 patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) (81 ± 10 years; 27 men, 73 postmenopausal women) were included. Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels, and bone mineral density (BMD) of proximal femur and lumbar spine were investigated. TRACP-5b levels were significantly higher in RDC than in OA and ON, whereas BAP levels were higher in RDC than in OA (P < 0.05). MMP-3 levels were higher in RDC and ON than in OA (P < 0.05). TRACP-5b were higher in RDC than OA (P < 0.05) and FNF (P < 0.05) in performing propensity score matching; there were no differences in BMD between RDC and OA. TRACP-5b showed the largest area under the curve (AUC, 0.82) according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for diagnosing RDC against OA and ON. AUCs of BAP and MMP-3 were 0.78 and 0.74. The respective sensitivities and specificities were 70.0 % and 85.3 % for TRACP-5b (cutoff, 623 mU/dl), 95.0 % and 57.1 % for BAP (13.8 U/l), and 70.0 % and 76.4 % for MMP-3 (52.7 ng/ml). The lack of differences in BMD suggested that high bone turnover marker levels may reflect osteoclast cell activation in RDC hips. Serum TRACP-5b and BAP could be RDC markers.

Context: Some observational studies have revealed an association between excessive aldosterone levels and reduced bone mineral density (BMD). However, whether patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) are at higher risk of fracture than healthy individuals remains unclear., Objective: This study aimed to clarify whether PA represents a risk factor for vertebral fracture (VF)., Design and Patients: We enrolled 56 patients with PA and 56 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Serum and urinary biological parameters, BMD, and presence of VFs were evaluated in both groups. We compared parameters between PA and control participants and performed multiple logistic regression analyses after adjustments for variables., Results: Patients with PA showed higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and triglycerides, higher urinary calcium-to-creatinine ratio, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than controls (P < 0.05, each). Prevalence of VFs was significantly higher in patients with PA (44.6%) than in controls (23.2%, P < 0.05). Patients with PA showed severe fracture more frequently than controls. Multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index identified PA as being associated with the presence of VFs (odds ratio, 3.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.30 to 7.51; P < 0.05). This association remained statistically significant after further adjustment for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol but not after adjustment for calcium-to-creatinine ratio and BMD., Conclusions: We identified PA as a risk factor for VF, independent of blood pressure, HbA1c, and lipid profile. Fracture severity was significantly higher in patients with PA than in age- and sex-matched controls., (Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society)

Purpose: A case in which novel and traditional laboratory markers were successfully used to determine surgical intervention timing in an elderly patient receiving dabigatran for atrial fibrillation is reported., Summary: An 86-year-old woman who was taking dabigatran for atrial fibrillation suffered a right femoral neck fracture requiring surgical intervention. Dabigatran was withheld once the patient was admitted to the hospital, and the pharmacy inpatient anticoagulation management team was consulted for guidance on determining appropriate scheduling of surgical intervention with regard to the time since her most recent dabigatran dose to minimize bleeding complications. The team recommended delaying surgery, as dabigatran clearance would likely take 3-5 days and an ecarin chromogenic assay (ECA) dabigatran value of <50 ng/mL would be desirable before surgical intervention. During her hospitalization, novel and traditional laboratory markers for dabigatran, such as ECA value, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and prothrombin time, were measured and followed closely to determine the best time to perform surgical intervention to minimize bleeding risk. Renal dysfunction likely delayed dabigatran elimination in the patient and may have led to potential accumulation of dabigatran. The patient ultimately had to wait 5 days after the last dabigatran dose for surgical intervention., Conclusion: Coagulation assay monitoring for dabigatran, with emphasis on an ECA dabigatran concentration of <50 ng/mL, was used to assess safety regarding bleeding risk before a nonemergent surgical procedure in an 86-year-old woman with a right femoral neck fracture., (Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVNFH) typically constitutes 5 to 15% of all complications of low-energy femoral neck fractures, and due to an increasingly ageing population and a rising prevalence of femoral neck fractures, the number of patients who develop AVNFH is increasing. However, there is no consensus regarding the relationship between blood lipid abnormalities and postoperative AVNFH. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between blood lipid abnormalities and AVNFH following the femoral neck fracture operation among an elderly population., Methods: A retrospective, comparative study was performed at our institution. Between June 2005 and November 2009, 653 elderly patients (653 hips) with low-energy femoral neck fractures underwent closed reduction and internal fixation with cancellous screws (Smith and Nephew, Memphis, Tennessee). Follow-up occurred at 1, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months after surgery. Logistic multi-factor regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors of AVNFH and to determine the effect of blood lipid levels on AVNFH development. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were predetermined to focus on isolated freshly closed femoral neck fractures in the elderly population. The primary outcome was the blood lipid levels. The secondary outcome was the logistic multi-factor regression analysis., Results: A total of 325 elderly patients with low-energy femoral neck fractures (AVNFH, n = 160; control, n = 165) were assessed. In the AVNFH group, the average TC, TG, LDL, and Apo-B values were 7.11 ± 3.16 mmol/L, 2.15 ± 0.89 mmol/L, 4.49 ± 1.38 mmol/L, and 79.69 ± 17.29 mg/dL, respectively; all of which were significantly higher than the values in the control group. Logistic multi-factor regression analysis showed that both TC and LDL were the independent factors influencing the postoperative AVNFH within femoral neck fractures., Conclusions: This evidence indicates that AVNFH was significantly associated with blood lipid abnormalities in elderly patients with low-energy femoral neck fractures. The findings of this pilot trial justify a larger study to determine whether the result is more generally applicable to a broader population.

Background: Arthroplasty is now widely used to treat intra-capsular proximal femoral fractures (PFFs) in older patients, even when there is little or no displacement. However, whether arthroplasty is associated with lower mortality and complication rates in non-displaced or mildly displaced PFFs is unknown. The objectives of this prospective study were: (1) to evaluate early mortality rates with the two treatment methods, (2) to identify risk factors for complications, (3) and to identify predictors of functional decline., Hypothesis: Arthroplasty and internal fixation produce similar outcomes in non-displaced fractures of patients older than 80 years with PFFs., Material and Methods: This multicentre prospective study included consecutive patients older than 80 years who were managed for intra-capsular PFFs at eight centres in 2014. Biometric data and geriatric assessment scores (Parker Mobility Score, Katz Index of Independence, and Mini-Nutritional Assessment [MNA] score) were collected before and 6 months after surgery. Independent risk factors were sought by multivariate analysis. We included 418 females and 124 males with a mean age of 87±4years. The distribution of Garden stages was stage I, n=56; stage II, n=33; stage III, n=130; and stage IV, n=323. Arthroplasty was performed in 494 patients and internal fixation in 48 patients with non-displaced intra-capsular PFFs., Results: Mortality after 6 months was 16.4% overall, with no significant difference between the two groups. By multivariate analysis, two factors were significantly associated with higher mortality, namely, male gender (odds ratio [OR], 3.24; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.0-5.84; P<0.0001) and high ASA score (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.07-2.26; P=0.019). Two factors were independently associated with lower mortality, with 75% predictive value, namely, high haematocrit (OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9; P=0.001) and better Parker score (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8; P=0.01). The cut-off values associated with a significant risk increase were 2 for the Parker score (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3; P=0.001) and 37% for the haematocrit (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.9-5.5; P=0.02). Complications occurred in 5.5% of patients. Surgical site infections were seen in 1.4% of patients, all of whom had had arthroplasty. Blood loss was significantly greater with arthroplasty (311±197mL versus 201±165mL, P<0.0002). Dependency worsened in 39% of patients, and 31% of patients lost self-sufficiency. A higher preoperative Parker score was associated with a lower risk of high postoperative dependency (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.97; P=0.014)., Discussion: Neither treatment method was associated with decreased mortality or better function after intra-capsular PFFs in patients older than 80 years. Early mortality rates were consistent with previous reports. Among the risk factors identified in this study, age, preoperative self-sufficiency, and gender are not amenable to modification, in contrast to haematocrit and blood loss., Conclusion: Internal fixation remains warranted in patients older than 80 years with non-displaced intra-capsular PFFs., Level of Evidence: III, prospective case-control study., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neck of femur (NOF) fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in elderly people with multiple co-morbidities; making management of this patient subgroup challenging. Predictors of an increase in morbidity and mortality would therefore provide a useful framework for the assessment and management of this demographic. Within the current literature, hypoalbuminaemia (<35g/dl) has been highlighted as being a good biochemical predictor of short-term mortality (<12 months). Our aims were to assess whether there was an association between low albumin levels and mortality and whether the severity adversely affects outcomes., Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to our large district hospital between January 2011 and December 2012 who had sustained a NOF fracture, were over 65 years old and had a pre-operative albumin level were included. This retrospective, longitudinal, observational study concluded in July 2014. Demographic and pre-operative function and albumin data was collated retrospectively. An association with mortality was made., Results: 471 patients had usable data. Mean pre-operative albumin level was 29.5g/dl (SD 6.22g/dl) in patients who died and 32.8g/dl (SD 6.43g/dl) in patients who survived during the study period. Pre-operative albumin level was significantly associated with survival (hazard ratio 0.957: 95% CI (0.937, 0.978); p<0.001). Thus, a reduction of 1g/dl in pre-operative albumin is associated with an increased hazard of death of 4.3%., Conclusions: Early identification of patients with hypoalbuminaemia on admission with a venous blood sample and timely input from orthogeriatrians could optimise these patients pre- and post-operatively. This may enable rates of morbidity and mortality to fall. Hypoalbuminaemia may be a reasonable predictor of shorter-term mortality in this patient subgroup. However, this may reflect existing co-morbidities rather than an isolated cause. This study supports an association between hypoalbuminaemia and poorer outcome for patients with NOF fractures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

A femoral neck fracture in an elderly patient often represents a major challenge for the orthopaedic surgeon who has to face not only the fracture, but also all the multiple issues related to age. Among others, malnutrition has been recognised as an important factor associated with severe aggravation in these patients. One-hundred-and-forty-seven patients were enrolled to investigate the use of two markers of patient nutritional status, i.e. serum albumin level and total leukocyte count (TLC), as predictors of mortality in the elderly patient suffering from proximal femur fracture. We found that low preoperative values of serum albumin and TLC proved to be directly related to worse outcomes. Therefore, these exams can be useful to identify patients with a femoral neck fracture that have higher risk of malnutrition and consequent higher mortality and that can benefit from some measures, such as albumin or protein nutritional supplement.

Background: Femoral neck fractures are a common occurrence in patients suffering from osteoporosis, while intracapsular hip fracture is rare in cases of osteoarthritis of the hip. Previous histomorphometric studies have emphasized the association between bone microarchitecture and the risk of low-impact fractures in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis patients. However, the strength of bone material is also a function of composition of organic bone matrix. In order to compare tissue material properties in these two clinical conditions, serum and bone pentosidine, a non-enzymatic collagen crosslinking element, was measured in patients who suffered a low-impact fracture, and in patients with advanced osteoarthritis., Methods: The patient population consisted of 70 patients who underwent hemiarthroplasty surgery for a femoral neck fracture, and 41 patients with advanced hip joint osteoarthritis without a history of low- impact fracture, who were indicated for total hip joint replacement. Pentosidine content was analyzed in bone samples and in serum obtained from fracture and osteoarthritis patients using high performance liquid chromatography., Results: Serum and bone concentrations of pentosidine were higher in subjects with hip fractures compared with osteoarthritis after adjustment for age, sex, weight, serum creatinine, and diabetes. A significant positive correlation was found between bone and serum pentosidine in fractured cases. A comparable relationship was also demonstrated for pentosidine levels in serum and bone relative to differentiation of fracture and osteoarthritis cases., Conclusions: Serum pentosidine can be considered a potential biomarker for identification of subjects with impaired bone quality and bone strength.

Introduction: Fractures of the proximal femur are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly population. Yet predictive marker of unfavourable prognosis are still lacking. Calcium phosphate product is a marker of osteo-renal dysregulation. This study investigated the role of serum calcium phosphate product (SCPP) levels as a prognostic parameter for outcome in those patients., Patients and Methods: A total of 3577 consecutive patients with diagnosed fractures of the proximal femur were included in our study (72.5% females). SCPP was divided into tertiles: <1.92mmol(2)/l(2), 1.93-2.38mmol(2)/l(2) and >2.39mmol(2)/l(2). Data collection was performed prospectively and statistical evaluation was performed retrospectively., Results: Mean follow up in our study group was 11.0±0.3 months. The mean age of our study group was 79.0 years (SEM ±14 years). To facilitate analysis, patients were divided in two groups: ≤84 years (64.4%) and ≥85 years (35.6%), and mortality <12 months was 12.4% (n=445). In our study population higher SCPP levels ad admission were associated with a markedly elevated mortality. In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex, plasma creatinine and haemoglobin at admission caused a 1.3 (CI: 1.01-1.6) for SCPP 1.93-2.38mmol(2)/l(2), and a 1.6 (CI: 1.2-2.0) for SPP >2.39mmol(2)/l(2) fold increase in overall mortality compared to patients with baseline SCPP levels (<1.92mmol(2)/l(2)) as reference category., Conclusion: Those findings in our study population with 3577 patients over a period of 20 years proved to be, that serum Ca levels may be a good predictor for mortality in patients with fracture of the proximal femur. Further studies are required to evaluate whether these high risk patients might benefit from specific therapeutic measurements. This prognostic factor may help to increase the outcome of elderly patients with a fracture of the proximal femur., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study examined the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with postoperative medical complications and one year mortality of elderly patients sustaining a low-energy cervical hip fracture scheduled for surgery. We hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency and CRP in these patients might be associated with an increased 1-year mortality., Methods: The prospective single-center cohort study included 209 patients with a low-energy medial femoral neck fracture; 164 women aged over 50 years and 45 men aged over 60 years. Referring to 1-year mortality and postoperative medical complications multiple logistic regression analysis including 10 co-variables (age, sex, BMI, ASA, creatinine, CRP, leukocytes hemoglobin, 25(OH)D, vitamin D supplementation at follow-up) was performed., Results: Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in 87 % of all patients. In patients with severe (<10 ng/ml) and moderate (10-20 ng/ml) vitamin D deficiency one year mortality was 29 % and 13 %, respectively, compared to 9 % in patients with > 20 ng/ml 25(OH)D levels (p =0.027). Patients with a mild (CRP 10-39.9 mg/l) or active inflammatory response (CRP ≥ 40 mg/l) showed a higher one year mortality of 33 % and 40 % compared to 16 % in patients with no (CRP < 10 mg/l) inflammatory response (p = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified CRP (OR 1.01, 95 % CI 1.00-1.02; p = 0.007), but not 25(OH)D (OR 0.97, 95 % CI 0.89-1.05; p = 0.425) as an independent predictor for one year mortality. 20 % of patients suffered in-hospital postoperative medical complications (i.e. pneumonia, thromboembolic events, etc.). 25(OH)D (OR 0.89, 95 % CI 0.81-0.97; p = 0.010), but not CRP (OR 1.01, 95 % CI 1.00-1.02; p = 0.139), was identified as an independent risk factor., Conclusion: In elderly patients with low-energy cervical hip fracture, 25(OH)D is independently associated with postoperative medical complications and CRP is an independent predictor of one year mortality.

Introduction: C-reactive protein (CRP) rises in response to multiple stimuli, including surgical procedures and infections. Deviations from the predicted CRP response to a given procedure may be an early indication of a postoperative complication., Methods: Three hundred and fifty-four patients with an operatively managed neck of femur fracture admitted over a 1-year period to an NHS Hospital Trust were included. CRP values collected during the postoperative period were retrospectively examined, and objective evidence of postoperative complications was sought. Data analysis explored daily CRP thresholds that maximised sensitivity and specificity for the detection of patients with a postoperative complication., Results: From the 5th to the 30th postoperative day, a CRP value in excess of the threshold defined by the formula 500/d (where d represents the number of postoperative days) retrospectively detected patients with a postoperative complication with a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.82. Patients with a CRP value above the 500/d threshold during this period had a significantly increased 30-day mortality (10.0% vs. 3.9%, RR=2.74, p=0.03)., Conclusion: Following operatively managed neck of femur fractures, a CRP value in excess of the threshold defined by the formula 500/d may indicate the presence of a postoperative complication and defines a group with increased mortality. In this context, a prompt wound review and septic screen could promote the early detection and management of infectious postoperative complications., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: Although bone mineral density (BMD) is a strong predictor of fracture risk, additional parameters, such as bone strength, are needed to predict future fracture risk because of the low sensitivity of BMD for predicting fracture risk., Objective: The objective was to study the association of vitamin D with femoral neck (FN) strength., Design and Setting: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys., Participants: A total of 1209 Koreans (586 men and 623 women) aged ≥50 years participated., Main Outcome Measures: We calculated composite indices of FN strength, such as the compression strength index, bending strength index (BSI), and impact strength index, by combining BMD, body weight, and height with the femoral axis length and width, which were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry., Results: Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were associated with compression strength index, BSI, and impact strength index in both genders. When women were categorized into four quartiles of 25(OH)D, FN BMD and composite indices (except for BSI) significantly increased from the lowest (Q1) to the highest quartile (Q4) (P for trend = .001-.004). In contrast, there is no significant association of quartiles with composite indices in men. When women were divided into two groups according to their serum 25(OH)D levels, the composite indices as well as the FN BMD were markedly higher in subjects with higher 25(OH)D levels (≥51.5 nmol/L)., Conclusion: These findings provide the first clinical evidence that high serum 25(OH)D levels exhibit higher composite indices of FN strength in a dose-dependent manner, especially in women.

Introduction: Current management of undisplaced hip fractures is based on internal fixation. Reported revision rates of 12-17% for this procedure negatively impact on patient morbidity and mortality. The aim of this novel study is to examine if the nutritional status of these patients is associated with failure of internal fixation., Patients and Methods: A consecutive series of 111 undisplaced intracapsular hip fractures treated with cannulated screw was identified. These were retrospectively reviewed including routine admission serum investigations (lymphocyte count and albumin levels). Radiological investigations were used to assess fracture classification, posterior-tilt angle, fixation adequacy, screw configuration and failure (avascular-necrosis, non-union and screw cut-out)., Results: 16% of fixations failed (18 patients). Patients with fixation-failure had a significantly lower albumin (35g/l vs. 40g/l, p=0.02) and lymphocyte count (0.7×10(9)l vs. 1.4×10(9)l, p≤0.001) than non-failure patients. Lymphocyte count, albumin level and posterior-tilt angle were independent predicators of failure on binary logistic regression analysis. We suggest that routine laboratory tests can be used to identify patients at greatest risk of failure of internal fixation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Current recommendations urge us to operate quickly on femoral neck fractures to reduce the risk of comorbidity decompensation. In some cases, this leads us to operate when an underlying infection is present. In this study, we evaluated the infection rate of bipolar hemiarthroplasty after femoral neck fracture and attempted to relate it to preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels., Materials and Methods: The infection rate of bipolar hemiarthroplasty was evaluated in a dual-center, retrospective study of 260 patients over a 2-year period. During the first year, the preoperative CRP levels were not taken into account when scheduling the procedure. During the second year, if preoperative CRP levels were above 50 mg/L, the procedure was delayed to look for and treat any ongoing infections., Results: The overall periprosthetic infection rate in this study was 4.85 % (range 4.8-4.9), with 33 % of patients passing within 1 year due to the infection. In the group where CRP was not taken into consideration, 59 of the 143 operated away patients (41 %) had their preoperative CRP levels measured. Twenty-nine of these patients had CRP > 50 mg/L when they were operated. Of the seven infections in the group, one patient had CRP > 50 mg/L, two had CRP < 50 mg/L, and four patients did not have preoperative CRP levels measured. In the group where CRP was taken into consideration, 104 of the 117 patients (89 %) had their preoperative CRP assessment. Thirty of these patients had CRP > 50 mg/L upon admission; their procedure was delayed to determine the etiology of this CRP elevation. No cause was found in 16 of these 30 patients, and they were operated despite having CRP > 50 mg/L. There were five infections in this group: four patients had CRP > 50 mg/L and were treated accordingly; one patient had preoperative CRP < 50 mg/L. In patients where the preoperative CRP levels were taken into account, the delay before surgery was twice as long as those where CRP levels were not considered., Discussion: C-reactive protein (CRP) level alone is not a good preoperative predictive factor for periprosthetic joint infection, although 80 % of the patient with an infected bipolar hemiarthroplasty had CRP > 50 mg/L upon admission. The increased delay due to the CRP analysis is not without consequence for this cohort. Two previous studies have looked into the predictive ability of CRP levels, but these involved scheduled surgical procedures., Conclusion: This study could not validate the use of CRP levels, nor a 50 mg/L threshold, as predictive factors for a preexisting infection during bipolar hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fracture. As a consequence, new infection screening tools must be developed and validated.

Hip fractures are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly. It is important to identify factors that predict an increased mortality following hip fracture. The aim of this study was to identify significant predictors of mortality at 6 and 12 months following hip fractures. Three hundred patients above the age of 65 were identified who were admitted in to the hospital with fracture neck of femur. Two hundred and seventy-four patients were operated and were included into the study. Variables collected were age, gender, significant comorbidities, admission albumin level and admission total lymphocyte count (TLC). Admission time and subsequent time to surgery were also analysed. Our study showed that albumin and TLC were found to be the only clearly significant mortality predictors at 12 months and a delay of up to 4 days to surgery does not significantly increase the mortality at 12 months.

Introduction: The mechanism of falling has been proposed as the exclusive explanation for hip fracture pattern. Evidence exists that other genetic factors also influence proximal femoral fracture configuration. The ABO blood group serotype has been associated with other pathologies but any role in hip fracture has yet to be definitively characterised., Methods: Our National Hip Fracture Database was interrogated over a four-year period. All patients had their blood group retrieved, and this was compared with hip fracture pattern and mortality rates. Confounding factors were accounted for using logistic regression and the Cox proportional hazards model., Results: A total of 2,987 consecutive patients presented to our institution. Those with blood group A were significantly more likely to sustain intracapsular fractures than 'non-A' individuals (p=0.009). The blood group distribution of patients with intracapsular fractures was identical to that of the national population of England. However, blood group A was less common in patients with intertrochanteric fractures than in the general population (p=0.0002). Even after correction for age and sex, blood group A was associated with a decrease in the odds of suffering an intertrochanteric fracture to 80% (p=0.002). Blood group A had inferior survivorship correcting for age, sex and hip fracture pattern (hazard ratio: 1.14, p=0.035). This may be due to associated increased prevalence of co-morbid disease in this cohort., Conclusions: Blood group is an independent predictor of hip fracture pattern, with group A patients more likely to sustain an intracapsular fracture and non-A individuals more likely to sustain an intertrochanteric fracture. The determinants of fracture pattern are likely to be related to complex interactions at a molecular level based on genetic susceptibility. The mechanism of fall may not be the only aetiological determinant of proximal femoral fracture configuration.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is an important risk factor for fractures. However, there are few data available only on the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and recovery after surgery for hip fracture., Aim: The authors investigate the vitamin D supply of patients with hip fractures., Method: Between February and September 2013, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels were determined in 203 patients with hip fracture (74.8±11.5 ys; 67 men and 136 women) and in 74 control subjects., Results: Vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism occurred significantly more frequently in patients with hip fracture than in control subjects (72% vs. 45%, and 33% vs. 17%, respectively). Patients with better condition after surgery showed higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (p<0.001) than those with poor condition. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were lower in the 31 patients who died [median of survival time: 19 (5-52) days] compared to those who survived [22.6 (9.5-45.0) vs. 33.0 (16.5-56.6) nmol/l]., Conclusions: The association between vitamin-D deficiency and mortality as well as the positive correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and better postoperative condition confirm the importance of proper vitamin D supply in the prevention and cure of hip fractures, what is more in the increase of the chance of survival.

Objective: To investigate the impact of hip fracture on coagulation function in elderly patients., Methods: In our study, 127 elderly patients with hip fracture were diagnosed and admitted to Peking University People's Hospital from January 2011 to March 2012. Specimens of their venous blood were obtained before and after the surgery, and measured for fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer. Also, we analyzed their age, type of fracture, fracture time, and concomitant diseases., Results: The FIB level of the patients (127 cases) before surgery was (3.91 ± 1.06) g/L, and 42.52% (54/127) patients' FIB was higher than normal. After the surgery, 28 patients underwent FIB test [(4.21 ± 1.24) g/L], which was higher than the FIB value before surgery, but was not statistically significant. Before surgery, 15 patients underwent D-dimer test [(2 059.5 ± 1 948.0) μg/L]. After the surgery, 26 patients underwent D-dimer test [(2 574.9 ± 1 702.4) μg/L].The two values were significantly higher than normal (P<0.05). The elevated value of FIB had no relationship with age, diabetes, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases. Before surgery, 45.83% (22/48) of the intertrochanteric fracture patients had abnormal FIB, and 40.50% (32/79) of the patients with femoral neck fracture had abnormal FIB, but they were not statistically significant. Grouped according to the fracture time, when fracture time was longer than 96 h, the ratio of abnormal FIB was 26.7%, lower than those of other groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The hip fracture in elderly patients has a direct impact on coagulation system, and FIB and D-dimer have significantly changed. According to the variation of FIB after fracture,we speculate that fracture surgery after 96 h may affect the coagulation system at the lowest level.

Higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, are associated with increased fracture risk, although previous studies on CRP and bone mineral density (BMD) have yielded conflicting results. We aimed to test the hypotheses that composite indices of femoral neck strength relative to load, which are inversely associated with fracture risk, would also be inversely associated with CRP, and would explain part of the association between CRP and fracture risk. We analyzed data from a multisite, multiethnic prospective cohort of 1872 community-dwelling women, premenopausal or early perimenopausal at baseline. Femoral neck composite strength indices in three failure modes were calculated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived femoral neck width (FNW), femoral neck axis length (FNAL), femoral neck BMD and body size at baseline, as BMD*FNW/weight for compression strength, BMD*(FNW)(2) /(FNAL*weight) for bending strength, and BMD*FNW*FNAL/(height*weight) for impact strength. Incident nondigital, noncraniofacial fractures were ascertained annually over a median follow-up of 9 years. In analyses adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, diabetes, menopause transition stage, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, medications, prior fracture, and study site, CRP was associated inversely with each composite strength index (0.035-0.041 SD decrement per doubling of CRP, all p < 0.001), but not associated with femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD. During the follow-up, 194 women (10.4%) had fractures. In Cox proportional hazards analyses, fracture hazard increased linearly with loge (CRP), only for CRP levels ≥ 3 mg/L. Addition of femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD to the model did not attenuate the CRP-fracture association. However, addition of any of the composite strength indices attenuated the CRP-fracture association and made it statistically nonsignificant. We conclude that fracture risk increases with increasing CRP, only above the threshold of 3 mg/L. Unlike BMD, composite strength indices are inversely related to CRP levels, and partially explain the increased fracture risk associated with inflammation., (Copyright © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Significant blood loss in neck-of-femur (NOF) fracture surgery contributes to the high morbidity and mortality. Since the introduction of the European Working Time Directive, trainee surgeons are more junior and inexperienced. We assessed NOF surgical blood loss in relation to the surgeon grade and experience. We assessed a prospective consecutive cohort of 105 acute NOF fracture patients treated surgically. Blood loss was calculated as the difference between the pre- and post-operative haemoglobin levels. Warfarin was reversed pre-operatively where necessary. There were 32 male and 73 female patients, with mean age 83.8 years (range 48-98). One patient died peri-operatively and was excluded. There were 49 intra-capsular fractures and 55 extra-capsular fractures, with no significant difference in group characteristics. Mean haemoglobin drop was 2.8 g/dL [intra-capsular fractures, 2.5 g/dL; extra-capsular fractures, 3.1 g/dL (p = 0.019)]. The difference in blood loss between different surgeon grades was not significant: consultants 2.4 g/dL (21 cases), senior staff grades 2.7 g/dL (17 cases), junior staff grades 3.1 g/dL (15 cases) and registrars 2.9 g/dL (50 cases). Whilst mean haemoglobin drop was least for consultants, the mean for trainees was only marginally higher than for experienced staff grade surgeons and lower than for their junior counterparts. Mean blood loss for patients taking anti-platelet agents was not significantly different (aspirin 2.7 g/dL, clopidogrel 3.7 g/dL, 4.4 g/dL for those taking both) compared to patients taking neither agent (2.8 g/dL). We conclude that surgeon grade does not significantly impact peri-operative haemoglobin drop, regardless of pre-operative morbidity. It is safe for trainees to operate, with adequate supervision where appropriate, on all NOF fracture patients without compromising blood loss.

Summary: Although it is well established that a decrease in bone mass increases the risk of osteoporotic fractures, the proportion of fractures attributable to areal bone mineral density (BMD) is rather low. Here, we have identified bone mineralization defects together with low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH) D) levels as additional factors associated with femoral neck fractures., Introduction: Osteoporotic fractures of the femoral neck are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although it is well established that a decrease in bone mass increases the risk of osteoporotic fractures, the proportion of fractures attributable to areal BMD is rather low. To identify possible additional factors influencing femur neck fragility, we analyzed patients with femoral neck fracture., Methods: We performed a detailed clinical and histomorphometrical evaluation on 103 patients with femoral neck fracture including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, laboratory parameters, and histomorphometric and bone mineral density distribution (BMDD) analyses of undecalcified processed biopsies of the femoral head and set them in direct comparison to skeletal healthy control individuals., Results: Patients with femoral neck fracture displayed significantly lower serum 25-(OH) D levels and increased serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) compared to controls. Histomorphometric analysis revealed not only a decreased bone volume and trabecular thickness in the biopsies of the patients, but also a significant increase of osteoid indices. BMDD analysis showed increased heterogeneity of mineralization in patients with femoral neck fracture. Moreover, patients with femoral neck fracture and serum 25-(OH) D levels below 12 μg/l displayed significantly thinner trabecular bone., Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that impaired bone mineralization accompanied by low serum 25-(OH) D levels is of major importance in the etiology of femoral neck fractures. Therefore, balancing serum 25-(OH) D levels and thereby normalizing PTH serum levels may counteract pronounced mineralization defects and might decrease the incidence of femoral neck fractures.

A simple measure to determine one-year mortality following hip fractures has its benefits. Where there is controversy over implant selection, such a scoring system can facilitate the decision-making process. We undertook a retrospective analysis of one-year postoperative mortality of our hip fracture patients and established their admission serum albumin levels to see if there was any correlation between this and one-year mortality. Our results showed one-year mortality was significantly higher (p =0.0049) for those patients with a serum albumin of <35 g/dl. Of the patients with low albumin, we found that there was no statistical significance between one-year mortality and source of admission (p =0.0789). Prefracture serum albumin can be used as a simple predictor of one-year mortality in patients presenting with a fractured neck of femur, thereby aiding operative planning and implant selection with a view to likely survival and possible need for revision.

Background: Single dose Gentamicin (240 mg) has been shown to reduce postoperative wound infection in patients with fractured neck of femur when used in a combined antibiotic regimen. However, concerns have arisen about the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in these patients., Objective: To determine if the use of prophylactic Gentamicin is associated with AKI in fractured neck of femur patients., Methods: A historical cohort study. Pre- and post-operative creatinine mmol/l of 100 successive fractured neck of femur patients admitted from September 2010 were compared to a control of 100 age, sex and procedure matched individuals operated upon before the introduction of prophylactic Gentamicin (2005). AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine by over 50% of base line. Statistical significance was regarded as p<0.05., Results: A significant rise in creatinine levels was observed in both control (p=0.005) and study groups (p=0.001). There was neither a significant difference in peak creatinine between groups (p=0.87) nor in rates of AKI (p=0.568) between the 2 groups., Conclusion: Single preoperative doses of Gentamicin (240 mg) have no detrimental impact on renal function in this group. There is, however, a significant rise in creatinine following fractured neck of femur surgery, independent of Gentamicin., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Summary: In a cross-sectional study including 324 patients older than 65 years admitted to our hospital for osteoporotic hip fracture, we found that those patients with a more severe vitamin D deficiency had more severe osteoporotic hip fractures (Garden grades III-IV and Kyle III-IV)., Introduction: To identify possible differences in baseline characteristics of patients with different types of osteoporotic hip fracture., Methods: Cross-sectional study including consecutive individuals over 65 admitted to our hospital for osteoporotic hip fracture over a year. Demographic data, fracture type, comorbidities, history of osteoporosis, functional capacity, nutritional status and vitamin D storage were evaluated., Results: We included 324 patients (83 ± 7 years, 80% women). Two hundred sixteen patients (67%) had vitamin D deficiency (25OHD3 <25 ng/ml). In patients with severe femoral neck or intertrochanteric fractures (Garden III-IV and Kyle III-IV), vitamin D deficiency was more frequent (74%) and severe (25OHD3 20 ± 15 ng/ml) than in patients with less severe fractures (57%, 25OHD3 26 ± 21 ng/ml). Forty-three percent of patients had previous fractures. Only 15% of patients had been previously diagnosed with osteoporosis and 10% were receiving treatment. Patients receiving vitamin D supplements have higher 20OHD3 levels and less severe fractures., Conclusions: Although vitamin D levels are not different between patients with intracapsular or extracapsular hip fractures, a more severe vitamin D deficiency seems to be associated to more severe osteoporotic hip fractures. A prior vitamin D supplementation could avoid a higher severity of these fractures.

We examined the presence of circulating plastic adherent multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in fracture patients. Three patient groups (n = 10-18) were evaluated, including elderly females with a femoral neck fracture treated with cemented hemiarthroplasty, an age- and sex-matched group with hip osteoarthritis (OA) treated with cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA), and younger adults with surgically treated lower extremity fractures. The presence of circulating MSCs pre- and postoperatively was compared to bone marrow (BM) MSCs from the same subjects. Criteria for identifying MSCs included cell surface markers (CD105+, CD73+, CD90+, CD45-, CD14-), proliferation through several passages as well as osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation. Plastic adherent MSCs were found in peripheral blood (PB) from 22% of hip fracture patients, 46% of younger fracture patients, and in none of 63 pre- and postmenopausal women with hip OA. When detectable, circulating MSCs appeared between 39 and 101 h after fracture. PB derived MSCs did not differ from BM derived MSCs, except for a small population (<15%) of CD34+ cells among PB derived MSCs. This initial study indicates mobilization of MSCs into the circulation in response to fracture, even in very old patients, while circulating MSCs were not detectable before or after elective THA., (© 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A prospective randomised controlled trial was performed to establish the effect of oral iron supplementation on haemoglobin level at 4 weeks post-operative in elderly patients with fractured neck of femur undergoing surgical treatment. We single blindly randomised 68 patients into two groups. Thirty-four patients in the treatment group were compared with 32 in the control group. The treatment group received 200mg of oral iron tablets 3 times a day for 4 weeks in the post-operative period compared to nothing for the control group. The groups were comparable in all other aspects. The iron treatment resulted in significantly increased haemoglobin value at 4 weeks; 0.76 g% higher than the control group (95% CI of +0.01 to +1.51) which is statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no major complication. We recommend oral iron supplementation in elderly anaemic patients with hip fracture in the post-operative period.

Bilateral femoral neck fracture is an extremely rare injury in young adults. We report a young adult with bilateral femoral neck fracture after minimal stress. The current case did not demonstrate any abnormality on laboratory data, except for a low serum level of vitamin D(3). Although, in our case, the patient underwent bilateral femoral head arthroplasty, early diagnosis could have been helpful to avoid further displacement of the fracture and surgical treatment.

Introduction: This study aims prospectively to assess perioperative measurement of Troponin T, a marker of myocardial injury, as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgery for fractured neck of femur., Method: All patients aged 65 years and over presenting with a fractured neck of femur over a 4-month period were initially included. Exclusion criteria were renal failure, polymyositis and conservative fracture management. Troponin T levels were measured on admission, day 1 and 2 post-surgery. According to local protocol, a level of >0.03 ng/mL was considered to be raised. Adverse outcome measures were cardiorespiratory events (myocardial infarction, congestive cardiac failure, unstable angina, major arrhythmias requiring treatment and pulmonary embolism), death and length of inpatient stay., Results: One hundred and twenty-nine patients presented with femoral neck fractures. 108 patients were included after application of the exclusion criteria. 42 (39%) showed a Troponin rise. Of these, 25 sustained one or more outcome complications versus seven with no rise (p<0.001). The mean hospital stay was 25.7 days for patients with elevated Troponin, 18.3 days in the normal group (p<0.012). There were nine deaths in the raised Troponin group, and five with no rise (p<0.05)., Discussion: The principle causes of early death after hip fracture surgery are cardiac failure and myocardial infarction. Troponin T is a sensitive enzymatic marker of myocardial injury. The association between raised Troponin and hip fractures has not previously been made. In our series, 39% showed a perioperative Troponin rise. This was significantly associated with increased morbidity, mortality and longer hospitalisation. Many patients appear to be having silent events, causing significant morbidity. We recommend Troponin measurement in all patients to identify this risk and allow appropriate optimisation measures.

We retrospectively reviewed cementless THAs with metal-on-metal bearings in five patients with chronic renal failure and investigated the relations between renal failure and elevated serum cobalt and chromium levels and the side effects of these elevations. Serum cobalt and chromium levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry at a minimum followup of 2.7 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 2.7-6.2 years) in five patients with chronic renal failure and in six patients with normal renal function after THA. Mean serum cobalt concentration was 12.5 microg/L in patients with chronic renal failure; this was more than 100-fold higher than in patients with the same prosthesis type and similar followup period, but with no known renal disease. However, the mean serum chromium concentration was 5.1 microg/L, which was within the normal range in all 11 study patients. Side effects related to elevation of serum cobalt or serum chromium concentration were not identified and overall clinical results were good 4 years after surgery. The serum cobalt level was higher in patients with chronic renal failure. Longer followup is necessary to determine any clinical effects.

Beta-Thalassemia Major (TM), firstly described by Cooley, is and inherited blood disorder that leads to anaemia due to an imbalanced globin chain synthesis effecting erythroid maturation and red cells survival and requests regular life-long blood transfusions and iron-chelating therapy. Among all the complications and organ diseases, osteopenia and osteoporosis, as progressive diseases are getting important cause of morbidity in a population whose longevity is increasing. The authors describe a case of a 26-year-old female with Beta-Thalassemia Major affected by a subtrochanteric fracture of the right femur on minor trauma. Cardiovascular, endocrinologic and thrombotic pattern leading to bone modifications are reported and Literature reviewed. Fracture was surgically treated with anterograde reconstructive intramedullary locked nail (AFN, Synthes) with 2 distal screws inserted in a static mode.

Background: Peptide YY (PYY), a gut peptide, has recently been shown to inhibit appetite. The role of this peptide in elderly nutritionally-compromised patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) has not been investigated. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal pattern of PYY levels during hospital stay and investigated the postprandial PYY response to a standard meal in patients with FNF and matched controls., Methods: Fasting plasma concentrations of the PYY were measured on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 or on discharge from the hospital in 17 white patients with FNF. On the second week of stay, 13 patients with FNF consumed a standard breakfast following an overnight fasting. One fasting sample and one 45-minute postmeal sample were collected. A control group was made up of 17 matched healthy elderly patients., Results: PYY concentrations were increased significantly over the length of hospital stay. Results of the test breakfast suggested a significant and exaggerated post-prandial PYY response, despite a smaller energy intake being consumed., Conclusions: This study shows PYY concentrations are increased during hospitalization and their post-prandial release exaggerated in this group of vulnerable patients, and suggests a role in the etiology of reduced appetite in this patient group.

Osteoporosis and femoral neck fractures (FNF) are uncommon in black Africans although osteoporosis accompanying iron overload (from traditional beer brewed in iron containers) associated with ascorbic acid deficiency (oxidative catabolism by iron) has been described from sub-Saharan Africa. This study describes histomorphometric findings of iliac crest bone biopsies and serum biochemical markers of iron overload and of alcohol abuse and ascorbic acid levels in 50 black patients with FNFs (29 M, 21 F), age 62 years (40-95) years (median [min-max]), and in age- and gender-matched black controls. We found evidence of iron overload in 88% of patients and elevated markers of alcohol abuse in 72%. Significant correlations between markers of iron overload and of alcohol abuse reflect a close association between the two toxins. Patients had higher levels of iron markers, i.e., siderin deposits in bone marrow (P < 0.0001), chemical non-heme bone iron (P = 0.012), and serum ferritin (P = 0.017) than controls did. Leukocyte ascorbic acid levels were lower (P = 0.0008) than in controls. The alcohol marker mean red blood cell volume was elevated (P = 0.002) but not liver enzymes or uric acid. Bone volume, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number were lower, and trabecular separation was greater in patients than in controls, all at P < 0.0005; volume, surface, and thickness of osteoid were lower and eroded surface was greater, all at P < 0.0001. There was no osteomalacia. Ascorbic acid deficiency accounted significantly for decrease in bone volume and trabecular number, and increase in trabecular separation, osteoid surface, and eroded surface; iron overload accounted for a reduction in mineral apposition rate. Alcohol markers correlated negatively with osteoblast surface and positively with eroded surface. Relative to reported data in white FNF patients, the osteoporosis was more severe, showed lower osteoid variables and greater eroded surface; FNFs occurred 12 years earlier and were more common among men. We conclude that the osteoporosis underlying FNFs in black Africans is severe, with marked uncoupling of resorption and formation in favor of resorption. All three factors--ascorbic acid deficiency, iron overload, and alcohol abuse--contributed to the osteoporosis, in that order.