Post-hip fracture rehabilitation outcomes of diabetic and non-diabetic elderly patients

BACKGROUND: Although patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at higher risk of hip fracture, data regarding the effect of DM on rehabilitation outcomes are limited. METHODS: A retrospective single-centre study was conducted comparing elderly diabetic and non-diabetic patients with recent hip fracture, admitted to geriatric rehabilitation, 2014–2019. The functional independence measure (FIM) was used to assess physical and cognitive function. Delta-FIM was calculated by subtracting admission FIM from discharge FIM. One-year mortality, hospitalizations and fractures were assessed. RESULTS: Six-hundred-thirty elderly patients, post-hip fracture were included, mean age 83 ± 7 years, 70.5% (444) women. Among them, 193 (30.6%) had type 2 DM, HbA1c 6.6 ± 1.25%. They were younger (81.4 vs. 84.3 years, p < .01) and had more co-morbidities including hypertension, chronic kidney disease, ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Baseline cognitive and motor scores were similar between groups. Delta motor-FIM was similar between diabetics and non-diabetics (15.56 ± 8.95 and 14.78 ± 8.79, respectively, p = .35). Multivariate regression analysis showed motor-FIM improvement was associated with higher BMI, male sex, and younger age, but not with DM. Cognitive FIM did not change significantly during rehabilitation in either group. Similar rates of patients were discharged to nursing care facilities. There was no difference in 1-year hospitalization or fracture rates. One-year, all-cause mortality was higher among diabetic patients (10.9 vs. 6.6%, respectively, p = .07). After adjusting for covariates, DM was associated with higher mortality risk (odds ratio = 2.78, 95% CI [1.28, 6.04], p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with well-controlled DM have similar post-hip fracture rehabilitation potential compared with non-diabetics, despite more co-morbidities. These results support resource allocation for post-hip fracture rehabilitation among patients with DM. The higher 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with DM reinforces the need for close follow-up and control of co-morbidities in this population.