Effect of time factors on the mortality in brittle hip fracture

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to study the effect of time factors on the mortality of brittle hip fracture. METHODS: The data of 705 patients of hip fracture hospitalized at our department from 2010 to 2012 were reviewed. Among them, 499 cases undergoing surgical operation over the age of 50 were followed up, and 250 cases had valid follow-up records. The effects of the time from injury to operation, the time from injury to hospitalization and the time from hospitalization to operation on the mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: The average duration of follow-up was 21.37 ± 9.77 months. There were 198 cases which were followed up for over 12 months. Nine patients died within 3 months after the hip fracture surgery, and 13 patients died within 1 year. A total of 25 patients died during the follow-up. The survival rate of patients with the interval from injury to surgery longer than 5 days was lower than that of patients with the interval less than or equal to 5 days (p = 0.014). The survival rate of patients with the interval from injury to hospitalization longer than 2 days was lower than that of patients with the interval from injury to hospitalization less than or equal to 2 days (p = 0.003). There was no statistical significance in the survival rate between patients with the interval from hospitalization to surgery longer than 3 days and that of patients with the interval from hospitalization to surgery less than or equal to 3 days (p = 0.973). CONCLUSION: The operational delay, especially the delay of time from injury to hospitalization, is an important factor affecting the early mortality of hip fracture. The delay of time from hospitalization to operation is mainly due to the consideration of the patients' situation and has no effect on early mortality.