Comorbid conditions in old patients with femur fractures

The incidence of preexisting medical diseases (comorbid conditions) and their influence on the high rate of falls, associated severe injuries, operative treatment, and outcome including mortality rate, duration of hospitalization, and rehabilitation success was retrospectively evaluated in a group of 102 patients (mean age, 81 years; 81% women) with femoral fractures. A comparison of polymorbidity rates in a control group of 102 patients (mean age, 79 years; 86% women) with proximal humeral fractures was added.

The associated polymorbidity rate among patients with femoral fractures (FF) usually was statistically significantly higher than among patients with proximal humeral fractures (PHF) despite a comparable age and sex distribution: 80% of the patients with FF presented with cardiovascular (p < or = 0.001), 41% with pulmonary (p < 0.001), 67% with gastrointestinal (p < or = 0.001), 71% with neurologic (p < or = 0.001), 55% with urologic (p < or = 0.001), 75% with musculoskeletal (p < or = 0.1), and 61% with psychiatric (p < or = 0.001) disorders and complaints. Ninety percent of the patients used different medications (diuretics, cardiac agents, anticoagulants, antidiabetic agents, steroids, hypnotics, analgesics, psychotropic agents). The postoperative mortality rate was 11%, and the mean hospitalization period was 30 days. Forty-nine percent of the patients were discharged to their homes. Only 56% of the patients with PHF, however, presented with cardiovascular, 8% with pulmonary, 11% with gastrointestinal, 8% with neurologic, 9% with urologic, 64% with musculoskeletal, and 10% with psychiatric disorders.

The polymorbidity in the old patient probably is a major intrinsic cause of the high incidence of falls and associated severe femoral fractures. It influences the perioperative and postoperative medical and anesthesiologic treatment, the postoperative mortality rate, and the duration and success of the postoperative rehabilitation phase.